5 Zimbabwe players who impressed in the Afghanistan Test series
The recently-concluded Test series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan ended with both teams winning a match apiece.
Zimbabwe defeated Afghanistan in the first Test by 10 wickets. It was the African nation's 13th Test victory and fourth on the sub-continent. It was also Zimbabwe's first win in the longest format in two-and-a-half years.
Afghanistan won the second Test by six wickets. However, Zimbabwe did not go down without a fight on the last two days of the encounter.
The two-match Test series witnessed quite a few impressive individual performances by Zimbabwean cricketers. Here's a look at five such performances:
#1 Sean Williams
The Zimbabwe skipper had an impressive Test series. He scored 264 runs, including two centuries, in three innings at an impressive average of 132. Sean Williams' hundred in the first Test laid the foundation for Zimbabwe's famous win.
When asked to follow-on in the second Test, Zimbabwe were struggling at 142-7. Williams stitched an impressive partnership with Donald Tiripano and guided the African nation to a respectable total. His 151-run knock was indeed a special one and probably his best in Test cricket.
Although the said innings was not a match-winning one, Williams certainly enhanced his reputation in Test cricket.
#2 Donald Tiripano
Donald Tiripano, primarily a fast bowler, had an impressive outing in the first Test. He picked up four wickets and played a key part in helping Zimbabwe win the match.
He had a forgettable outing with the ball in the second Test. However, his heroics with the bat will be remembered by one and all. Coming in to bat at No. 9, Tiripano scored an impressive 95 in the second innings. He played like an accomplished batsman, facing 258 deliveries and hitting 16 boundaries. The 33-year-old was unperturbed by the Afghan spinners and put on a 187-run stand with Sean Williams for the eighth wicket.
Tiripano, who had an impressive series with both the bat and ball, was one of the bright spots for Zimbabwe.
#3 Blessing Muzarabani
The 24-year old fast bowler had an impressive outing in the first Test.
Blessing Muzarabani picked up four crucial wickets in the first innings as Afghanistan were bowled out for just 131. His scalps were Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, and Zakir Khan.
He picked up two more wickets in the second innings, getting rid of Munir Ahmad and Asghar Afghan. Muzarabani finished with impressive figures of 6-62 in the Test and helped Zimbabwe record a famous win.
He picked up two wickets in the second innings of the second Test and was a threat to the Afghanistan batsmen, who were defending a moderate total.
Muzarabani is an exciting young prospect for Zimbabwe and a man for the future.
#4 Sikander Raza
Sikander Raza amassed 150 runs in three innings in the Test series. He scored an impressive half-century in the first innings of the second Test when the other Zimbabwean batsmen struggled against the Afghanistan spinners. His 85-run knock off 129 balls included seven boundaries and a six.
He got off to starts in all three innings and averaged an impressive 50 in the series. However, he could not convert his starts into big scores.
Although he did not bowl long spells in the Test series, he still picked up two wickets. Raza has made his experience count and will be hopeful of scoring big runs for Zimbabwe in the future.
#5 Victor Nyauchi
The first Test of the series saw an impressive performance by Victor Nyauchi, who bagged six wickets for 64 runs across both innings.
He provided crucial breakthroughs throughout the match, with his victims being Ibrahim Zadran, Munir Ahmed, and Shahidi in the first innings. In the second innings, he got rid of Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, and Shahidi. Nyauchi played a crucial role in bowling Afghanistan out for just 131 and 135 in the first Test.
He had an ordinary outing in the second Test, managing to pick up just one solitary wicket. He will be hopeful of representing Zimbabwe for years to come.