The Zimbabwe cricket team toured the United Arab Emirates in March 2021 to play two Test and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches against Afghanistan. It was the first time the two teams had played a Test match against each other. Ahmed Shah Pakteen was named as the on-field umpire for both Tests, becoming the first Afghan umpire to officiate in Test cricket.
Originally, the series was scheduled to be played in Oman. In January 2021, the International Cricket Council (ICC) gave accreditation for the Ministry Turf 1 at the Al Amerat Cricket Stadium in Muscat to host Test cricket. However, in February 2021, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed that the series would take place in the UAE. The series was initially in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however in late January 2021, Zimbabwe's Sports and Recreation Commission gave its approval for the tour to go ahead. On 12 February 2021, the ACB announced the tour schedule.
Zimbabwe won the first Test inside two days by ten wickets, with captain Sean Williams scoring a century in their first innings. Zimbabwe last won a Test match in November 2018, when they beat Bangladesh. Afghanistan won the second Test match by six wickets to draw the series 1–1, with Hashmatullah Shahidi becoming the first batsman for Afghanistan to score a double century in Test cricket.
Afghanistan won the first two T20I matches, by 48 and 45 runs, respectively, to win the series with a game to spare. Afghanistan won the third and final match by 47 runs, with Asghar Afghan claiming the record of winning the highest number of matches as captain in men's T20I cricket.
Squads TestsT20Is Asghar Afghan (c) Munir Ahmad Javed Ahmadi Yamin Ahmadzai Fazalhaq Farooqi Amir Hamza Nasir Jamal Rashid Khan Abdul Malik Wafadar Momand Mohammad Saleem Bahir Shah Rahmat Shah Hashmatullah Shahidi Shahidullah Sayed Shirzad Zia-ur-Rehman Ibrahim Zadran Afsar Zazai (wk) Sean Williams (c) Ryan Burl Regis Chakabva (wk) Kevin Kasuza Wesley Madhevere Wellington Masakadza Prince Masvaure Brandon Mavuta Tarisai Musakanda Richmond Mutumbami Blessing Muzarabani Richard Ngarava Victor Nyauchi Sikandar Raza Donald Tiripano Asghar Afghan (c) Fareed Ahmad Sharafuddin Ashraf Fazalhaq Farooqi Usman Ghani Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) Amir Hamza Karim Janat Rashid Khan Mohammad Nabi Hashmatullah Shahidi Naveen-ul-Haq Ibrahim Zadran Najibullah Zadran Afsar Zazai (wk) Sean Williams (c) Faraz Akram Ryan Burl Regis Chakabva (wk) Kevin Kasuza Tinashe Kamunhukamwe Wesley Madhevere Wellington Masakadza Prince Masvaure Brandon Mavuta Tarisai Musakanda Richmond Mutumbami Blessing Muzarabani Richard Ngarava Victor Nyauchi Sikandar Raza Milton Shumba Donald Tiripano
Afghanistan also named Zahir Khan and Abdul Wasi as reserve players for the Test matches. Chamu Chibhabha, Zimbabwe's limited overs captain, did not travel for the T20I matches due to an injury. The Afghanistan Cricket Board also confirmed that Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Gulbadin Naib, Waqar Salamkheil, Azmatullah Omarzai could join the T20I squad once their visa issues had been resolved.
Tour match
Test series 1st Test
2nd Test
T20I series 1st T20I
2nd T20I
3rd T20I
Notes
References
External links Series home at ESPN Cricinfo