Ibrahim Zadran maiden ODI ton sets up Afghanistan's series win

Ibrahim Zadran's maiden ODI century gave Afghanistan an unassailable 2-0 lead with a commanding eight-wicket victory in Game 2 of the three-match series, in Harare on Monday (June 6). The series-clinching victory was set up by the two left-arm pacers Fareed Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who shared five wickets between them, and the veteran spin duo of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan, who picked a couple each, striking at regular intervals to restrict the hosts to just 228 in their 50 overs. Zimbabwe found a breakthrough in the third over itself but Ibrahim and Rahmat revived the chase through a match-winning 194-run stand that helped Afghanistan seal the deal with more than five overs to spare. Having opted to bowl, Afghanistan got a breakthrough on the second ball of the contest when Fazalhaq trapped Regis Chakabva lbw. Innocent Kaia (63) and Craig Ervine (32) put on a 47-run stand in the next 12 overs before Fareed broke the partnership at a crucial juncture, while Wesley Madhevere was sent back by Rashid in the 20th over. Joining hands at 84/3, Kaia and Sikandar Raza added 67 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership that prevented a freefall, en route which Kaia brought up his fifty. It was Faheed who broke the threatening stand with back to back strikes in the 32nd and the 34th over, while Nabi denied Raza a half-century by 10 runs two overs later. This collapse of 5 for 26 cost Zimbabwe the shot at getting to at least a par score despite Ryan Burl's best efforts. Burl's 61-ball unbeaten 51 though was vital in getting the hosts past the 200-run mark. Chasing 229, the visitors themselves lost an early wicket when Blessing Muzarabani trapped Rahmanullah Gurbaz lbw on 4 in the third over. However, Ibrahim and Rahmat ensured there was no looking back. Ibrahim led the way as Afghanistan picked 56/1 from the mandatory 10-over powerplay, and raised his 59-ball half-century at the start of the 20th over. He got a life in the next over when Chakabva couldn't latch on to a tough chance behind the stumps as Afghanistan went past the 100. Even though the Zimbabwean spinners managed to restrict the free flow of runs in the middle overs, their inability to break the partnership - that breached the 150 milestone in the 33rd over - cost them any shot at redemption. Ibrahim reached his first ODI hundred five overs later when he drilled an overpitched Burl delivery through the covers for a crisp boundary. Rahmat wasn't as lucky though, missing out on the triple-digit milestone by just 12 when he edged Donald Tiipanno behind in the 42nd over, shortly after Afghanistan had gone past the 200-run mark. A well-set Ibrahim however, polished off the remaining 18 runs nearly all by himself to finish with an unbeaten 120 in the eight-wicket series-sealing win. Brief scores: Zimbabwe 228 all out in 50 overs (Innocent Kaia 63, Ryan Burl 51*; Fareed Ahmad 3-56) lost to Afghanistan 229/2 in 44.3 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 120*, Rahmat Shah 88; Blessing Muzarabani 1-42) by 8 wickets.