Zimbabwe get that Test-winning feeling after 12 long years as they beat Afghanistan by an innings and 73 runs.
Zimbabwe achieved their largest Test victory, their first innings victory since 2001, and their first home Test victory since 2013 in less than three hours on the third day. The highlight was Richard Ngarava, who claimed his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket under cloudy skies. His movement off the pitch and through the air never seemed overly dramatic, but it was persistent enough to open up the game and give Zimbabwe a victory over a sluggish Afghanistan batting lineup by an innings and 73 runs.
In an obvious indication that they were eager to wrap up the competition on Wednesday, Zimbabwe lined up for a group shot at the start of the day. Additionally, they began by handing the ball to Tanaka Chivanga before Muzarabani.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz flicked one down the leg side in Chivanga’s third over of the morning, and Tafadzwa Tsiga, vigilant behind the stumps, did the rest. It proved to be a wise choice. When Ibrahim Zadran, who had reached 42 with steady strokes, flicked another ball down leg three overs later, Ngarava produced nearly the identical dismissal, and Tsiga claimed his second of the morning.
Hashmatullah Shahidi was short-lived. Craig Ervine received a hard-handed push at slip after a full delivery from Ngarava. After that, Afsar Zazai and Bahir Shah gave the innings some impetus. Bahir hit six boundaries, but Muzarabani’s short ball constricted him, ending his counterattack. Ben Curran swooped in from short leg as the fend appeared. Soon after, Zazai eased a halting drive to the backward point, bringing the morning session to a close at 127 for 6.
After lunch, the sun appeared, but Afghanistan was not greatly helped. Ismat Alam was caught by a front-foot no-ball just as Chivanga believed he had him. Shortly after, Ngarava fixed it with a length ball outside off that caused Alam to get cut. Even the slips gasped as Tsiga threw himself to his right and executed a one-handed catch. Ngarava got his fifth when Sharafuddin Ashraf edged to second slip two overs later.
Despite being silent for the majority of the innings, Muzarabani executed it perfectly. After flattening Khalil Gurbaz’s leg stump, he used a yorker to split Ziaur Rahman’s middle stump.
It was a rare and easily gained victory because to Ngarava’s five, Chivanga’s pace, and Muzarabani’s final spell. The other highlights of their easy victory were Sikandar Raza’s 65 and Curran’s 121 on day two, which won him Player-of-the-Match.