ZIM vs AFG 2024/25, Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 1st Test, Day 4, Bulawayo Match Report, December 26 – 30, 2024

Afghanistan 515 for 3 (Rahmat 234, Shahidi 179*, Muzarabani 1-52) trail Zimbabwe 586 by 71 runs

Shahidi was still batting on 179 while Afsar Zazai was in sights of his maiden Test half-century, finishing unbeaten on 46 as the pair added an unbroken 87 for the fourth wicket.

Both Nyamhuri and Blessing Muzarabani got seam movement – and at times even extra bounce – but Shahidi and new batter Afsar Zazai remained watchful. Each time the line was wide, neither batter shied away from lofting or slashing at the ball. Shahidi reached 150 in the 131st over, when he clipped Nyamhuri wide of fine leg. Largely, both quicks kept it tight.

The first boundary of the day came only in the 137th over. Trevor Gwandu angled one across to Shahidi, who played a lovely drive to bisect cover and mid-off. Thereafter, it was Zazai who kept finding the boundary, while Shahidi looked much calmer at the other end.

Three overs later, Zazai hit his first boundary through midwicket when Sean Williams pitched one short. In the 141st over, Zazai threw his bat at a full and wide one outside off from Gwandu, only for the ball to fly for four over gully. After two overs, Zazai cut Gwandu for another boundary just after his partnership with Shahidi had crossed fifty.

Zazai picked up his only six by pulling Williams over square leg. Sensing he was picking up pace, Zimbabwe slowed things down through Muzarabani, Brandon Mavuta and Brian Bennett. Afghanistan managed only 14 runs from the next seven overs, and that ended the morning session.

Shahidi drove the second delivery after lunch for four to deep extra cover, but only two overs were possible in the afternoon. Seeing ominous grey clouds form, the umpires stopped play at 12:53pm sensing a heavy downpour, which arrived soon.

The rain eased an hour later with the ground staff starting to peel the covers off. But that effort proved futile with another downpour starting. That spell of rain was relentless and stumps were called at 4:35pm.