Afghanistan-Zimbabwe Test series - a reminder to other Test-playing nations to play these fighters frequently

 By K.R. Nayar

All those who watched this series witnessed the excitement of a fightback in Test cricket, inspiring knocks from captains of both teams, brave batsmen who remained focus despite a follow-on, and the magic of spin from Rashid Khan who bagged 11 wickets in the second Test. The series ended 1-1 proving the intensity with which both teams played, and the second Test being one of the finest Test matches played in Abu Dhabi

Afghanistan's batting heroes 

The Afghanistan-Zimbabwe second Test that concluded today (Sunday) at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium sent out a powerful message to other Test-playing nations that they deserve to be played against regularly.

Afghanistan, who had lost the first Test match by 10 wickets in two days, came back strongly to win the second Test by six wickets. Though Zimbabwe lost the second Test, they yielded only after five days of a completely engrossing battle. Through this series, these two teams have announced that they are fighters to the core, and with more exposure, they too can produce entertaining Test matches.

The heroes of this spectacular show were the two captains – Sean Williams of Zimbabwe and Asghar Afghan of Afghanistan. Williams’ performance in this series should be showcased as one of the best knocks by a captain. To score a century in the first Test despite wickets falling around him was an act of fierce determination to conquer the opponent. In the second Test, with an innings defeat staring at him, he fought and hit his second century of the series.
Similarly, Afghanistan skipper Afghan lifted his team through a fighting 164 in the first innings of the second Test. He inspired other batsmen, especially Hashmatullah Shahidi, to hit an unbeaten double century. This helped Afghanistan post a whopping total of 545 for 4 declared. For a team that got bowled out for 131 and 134 in the first Test, this century from Afghan was like lifting the team from the bottom of despair.

Zimbabwe skipper Sean Williams on reaching his century

After Rahmat Shah was run-out in the first innings at the score of 56, Afghanistan began to pile up runs with opener Imran Zadran scoring 72 runs, followed by the knocks from Afghan and Hashmatullah. The knocks by Zadran, Afghan, Hashmatullah, and an unbeaten 55 by Nasir Jamal will stand out as an answer to critics who believe that Afghanistan has batsmen fit only for limited-over cricket and that they do not have the skills to stay at the wicket for long.    

The charm of Test cricket was on full display in this Test series. Thanks to the online platform Rabbithole Youtube Channel that carried the television coverage to cricket fans around the world and eCricLife that gave fans in the UAE the chance to watch the action. This series has also announced that there is a lot to be learned from not only watching the strong Test-playing nations in action but also from teams like Afghanistan and Zimbabwe who truly deserve to play more matches.

The powerful nations are also missing out on playing Afghanistan’s leg spinner Rashid Khan, who is one of the finest spinners in world cricket today.  Most of them have played Khan only in white-ball cricket and have not experienced how he traps batsmen with his intelligence and variation in the longer version of the game. His brilliance can be gauged from his Test tally of 34 wickets from just five Test matches. In this Test, he produced spells of 4 for 138 in the first innings and 7 for 137 in the second innings.

Rashid Khan's magical spell

Zimbabwe’s fightback after following on and then rising from 142 for 7 to post a lead of 107 runs made this Test match one of the most dramatic ones in recent times. Donald Tiripano, by hitting 95 runs and providing strong support to his skipper Sean Williams, together put on a 187 runs partnership.  This is a new record for the eighth-wicket for Zimbabwe and Tiripano is an example of how lower-order batsmen should rise to the challenge.

Williams' innings and the road to his century were spectacular in many ways and would have given goosebumps to the Zimbabwean fans. He scored his second consecutive Test century of this series by hitting Rashid Khan for a boundary. That shot gave Zimbabwe the lead over Afghanistan, thus averting an innings defeat. It also marked the 100-runs partnership with Tiripano. Williams stood tall with an unbeaten 151 in the second Test.

Needing 108 runs to win in the 43 overs, the thrilling drama continued. Zimbabwe’s pacer Blessing Muzarabani clean bowled Afghanistan opener, Javed Ahmadi, in the first over.  Rahmat Shah and consistent opener Ibrahim Zadran took them close to the target but Zimbabwe fought back to pick three more wickets. Afghanistan’s Nasir Jamal pulled Muzarabani to the deep-midwicket boundary to ensure his team their third Test victory in just six Test matches. This team has now beaten Ireland, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe, though they played their first Test match only in 2018.

Hashmatullah, who hit 200 and pipped Rashid Khan for the player of the match award, remarked: “I am feeling very good about my first 200, it's a big achievement for me. I hope it's not the first and last one for me." That's the spirit of Afghanistan. Sean Williams, after receiving the player of the series award, remarked that it was a fantastic series.
Indeed, it was one of the best hard-fought Test series in Abu Dhabi, and both teams now deserve to be taken on by the strong Test nations regularly.