Omarzai century trumps Raza's as Afghanistan seal series

Afghanistan were 5 for 4 after four overs in the first innings. They finished on 221 for 7, with Zimbabwe fetching replacement balls as shots kept flying out of Sharjah. Azmatullah Omarzai's 116 off 50 deliveries drove an extraordinary recovery, and despite Sikandar Raza answering with an unbeaten century, Afghanistan won by 19 runs to seal the series 2-0 with a game to spare.

Omarzai and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai added 142, the highest partnership for the sixth wicket or lower in T20Is, after coming together at 38 for 5. Afghanistan were still on 45 for 5 at halfway before hammering 176 from their last ten overs. Omarzai struck 12 sixes and reached his maiden T20I hundred off 44 balls, while Ijaz followed his fifty in the series opener with 52 off 27.

The bowlers who had ripped through Afghanistan's top order took the heaviest punishment. Brad Evans conceded 27 in his final over, and Kundai Matigimu's last two went for 44. Rashid Khan supplied a six-ball unbeaten 25, then became the first bowler to take 200 wickets in men's T20Is. Afghanistan's third-highest total also made them the first men's T20I team to pass 200 after losing their first four wickets for fewer than 20 runs.

Raza gave this thoroughly unusual evening another century, becoming, at 40, the oldest man to score a T20I hundred. He finished on 106 not out off 56 balls and hit the last delivery over the roof, having added an unbroken 120 with debutant Tafadzwa Tsiga. Their stand took Zimbabwe past 200 too, though Afghanistan had established enough of a cushion to withstand the late hitting.