Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan opening ODI abandoned

HARARE: Heavy rain led to the abandonment of the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan first one-day international (ODI) at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.

Afghanistan won the toss and put the hosts into bat but it took four hours before any play was possible, with the game by then reduced to a 28 overs per side.

Azmatullah Omarzai took 4-18 in 4.2 overs as the visitors made good inroads to have Zimbabwe 44-5 in the 10th over before the rain returned and ended hope of further play.

The second of the three match ODI series will be played at the same venue on Thursday.

Also read: Pat Cummins dismantles India in the never-ending rain

On Monday, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the return of spin spearhead Rashid Khan to test cricket in the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan two-match series beginning later this month.

Rashid played the last of his five tests against Zimbabwe in March 2021 before taking a break from the format following a recurring groin injury.

The leg-spinner has been a key figure for the Afghan white-ball teams, who reached the semi-finals of this year’s T20 World Cup and will make their Champions Trophy debut next year.

“Rashid Khan returns to the test squad, which is a promising sign for our red ball game going forward,” chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said in a statement.

Afghanistan picked seven uncapped players for the two-test series in Bulawayo beginning on Dec. 26, with all-rounder Ismat Alam, left-arm spinner Zahir Shehzad and left-arm quick Bashir Ahmad Afghan rewarded for their strong domestic performances.

Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhail, Afsar Zazai, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik.