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India beat Afghanistan in second T20 to clinch series

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Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube smashed half-centuries as India thrashed Afghanistan by six wickets in the second Twenty20 international in Indore on Sunday to clinch the three-match series.

Jaiswal, who hit 68 off 34 balls, returned to the team along with star batsman Virat Kohli after the two missed the opening win.

Jaiswal put on key partnerships including a 92-run stand with left-handed partner Dube, who hit an unbeaten 63, as India chased down their victory target with 26 balls to spare and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead, AFP reported.

Top-ranked India have been unbeaten at home for 15 consecutive T20 series.

Their bowlers set up victory with left-arm spinner Axar Patel leading the charge with figures of 2-17 to help dismiss Afghanistan for 172 despite Gulbadin Naib's 57.

"The last two games, we've ticked a lot of boxes," India skipper Rohit Sharma said after the win.

Rohit praised Jaiswal and Dube.

"They've had a great couple of years. Jaiswal has played Test cricket now and even T20. He has shown what he is capable of. He has the talent and has a great range of shots.

"Dube is a big guy, very powerful and can take on the spinners. That is his role and he has come out and played two crucial innings for us."

Kohli, who played his first T20 for India since November 2022, made 29 in a partnership of 57 with Jaiswal after Rohit fell for a second successive duck.

Jaiswal took apart the opposition bowling after left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled Rohit and fellow fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq took down Kohli.

Jaiswal reached his fourth T20 half-ton for India and Dube, who starred in the team's opening win, joined the charge to hit his second successive fifty.

Jaiswal hit five fours and six sixes before he fell to Karim Janat who struck twice in an over but Dube stood firm to steer the team home and gi past his previous T20 best of 60 not out.

Earlier Naib, a top-order batsman, took on the Indian bowling attack in his 35-ball knock laced with five fours and four sixes.

He made his fourth T20 half-century for Afghanistan but fell when Patel had him caught at short mid-wicket by Rohit.

Wickets kept tumbling, but Najibullah Zadran (23 off 21 balls), Janat (10-ball 20) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (21 off nine) boosted the Afghanistan total.

"Sometimes we play well in the powerplay, sometimes in the middle (overs), and sometimes in the death overs," skipper Ibrahim Zadran said.

"We are going for the T20 World Cup, so we don't want to repeat these."

The last over from left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh, who ended with three wickets, brought four wickets including two run outs as Afghanistan were bowled out on the final ball.

Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets.

The final match is on Wednesday in Bengaluru.

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Afghanistan crush Bangladesh in landmark match at Sharjah

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Mohammad Nabi's 84 off 79 balls and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar's six-wicket haul led Afghanistan to a 92-run victory over Bangladesh in Sharjah on Wednesday in the first one-day international of a three-match series.

Chasing a mediocre 236, Bangladesh were bowled out for 143 as they lost their last eight wickets for 23 runs in Sharjah, which became the first venue to host 300 men's international matches.

Afghanistan were reeling at 71-5 before captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (52) and Nabi lifted them to 235 in 49.4 overs.

Bangladesh cruised to 120-2 in the chase led by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, but they collapsed after Nabi broke the partnership.

Sharjah will also host the remaining two matches in the series.

 

(Reuters)

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Afghanistan bat first, hand ODI debut to Sediqullah Atal

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Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss against Bangladesh in the first ODI in Sharjah on Wednesday afternoon and opted to bat first.

Shahidi said after the toss the reason for choosing to bat first was that “the pitch looks good and the ball moves a bit under lights”.

As the match got underway, Afghanistan handed a debut to left-hand opening batter Sediqullah Atal, with regular opener Ibrahim Zadran ruled out due to an ankle injury.

Atal, however, has played six T20Is already.

Afghanistan enters the series on the back of a 2-1 win against South Africa in September, while Bangladesh are playing their first ODI in eight months.

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has also included some familiar faces including Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi along with
Fazalhaq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib.

Afghanistan are coming off a 2-1 win against South Africa, even as Bangladesh are playing their first ODI in eight months

But Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto is leading his squad in the three-match ODI series as they look to bury their misery after being thrashed by South Africa in their two-match Test series last week.

Bangladesh meanwhile sit eight in the ICC ODI team rankings – just ahead of Afghanistan at ninth.

But Afghanistan are on a high in limited overs cricket, having beaten top nations including England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in last year's World Cup held in India.

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Afghanistan to tour Zimbabwe for all-format series 

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said the tour will take place from December 9 to January 6

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AfghanAtalan will tour Zimbabwe next month for an all-format series that will feature two Test matches, three ODIs and three T20Is. 

According to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) the tour will take place from December 9 to January 6. 

First up will be a three-match T20I series to be played on December 9, 11 and 12 at the Harare Sports Club.

This will be followed by a three-match ODI series on December 15, 17, and 19 at the same venue. 

The tour will conclude with a two-match Test series in Bulawayo, with the first Test scheduled from December 26 to 30 and the second from January 2 to 6.

Mirwais Ashraf, Chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, said in a statement that “this year (2024) has been quite productive for us both domestically and internationally, and we’ve had good achievements. 

“We are committed to striving hard and adding more bilateral cricket to our calendar in the next year and bringing more glory to our nation,” he said.

“The all-format tour to Zimbabwe is a significant event for us. We have a rich history with Zimbabwe, and playing there has always been challenging, but it’s a challenge I believe the AfghanAtalan can face confidently,” he added.

Zimbabwe Cricket’s Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said December 26 and January 1 “Test matches are iconic cricket fixtures that we are delighted to be adding to our calendar this festive season and we are looking forward to celebrating in style one of the finest traditions in the sport’s long history.

“Before the Test series, scheduled for Bulawayo, we will start off with some T20I and ODI action in Harare to complete a full tour, a clear demonstration of our commitment to improve our game across all formats.

“Matches between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are always intense and exciting affairs and we have no doubt the players will once again serve up some great entertainment befitting such a historic tour.”

The AfghanAtalan squad will arrive in Zimbabwe on December 6, where they will have two practice sessions before the first T20I match on December 9.

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