Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe Highlights, One-Off Test Day 1: Evans, Muzarabani Shine As Curran Leads Hosts To 3-Run Lead

Zimbabwe's batters and bowlers were on fire during the first day of their one-off Test match against Afghanistan at the Harare Sports Club on Monday, October 20, 2025, with the hosts ending Day 1 with a three-run lead.

Superb performances from their bowling unit – featurin a five-wicket spell from Brad Evans as well as three-wickets from Blessing Muzarabani – ended Afghanistan's first innings at just 127. Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored with 37 off 37 balls.

Put to bat early, the Zimbabwean batters started well, with opener Ben Curran ending the day unbeaten at 52. Nick Welch missed his half-century by one run, dismissed at 49 by Ziaur Rahman. Brendan Taylor was unbeaten at 18, guiding the hosts to a slender lead.

Read the cricket scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary from the ZIM vs AFG match:

Afghanistan (127): Gurbaz 37, Malik 30 (Muzarabani 3/47, Evans 5/22)

Zimbabwe (130/2): Curran 52*, Taylor 18 (Z. Rahman 2/35)

Zimbabwe lead by 3 runs at stumps on Day 1.

Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe, One-Off Test: Toss Update

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bowl first against Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe, One-Off Test: Playing XIs

Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Nick Welch, Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine (c), Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Bahir Shah, Afsar Zazai (wk), Ismat Alam, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Khalil Gurbaz, Yamin Ahmadzai, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi

Afghanistan tragically lost three cricketers after a recent Pakistani air strike, and the national team will hope to bring some cheer to their people with another away win. The Test, not part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, will be followed by a three-match T20I series at the same venue, starting October 29.

Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe, One-Off Test: Squads

Zimbabwe: Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Tanaka Chivanga, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Roy Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Wellington Masakadza, Tinotenda Maposa, Blessing Muzarabani, Antum Naqvi, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Brendan Taylor (wk), Nick Welch.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Afsar Zazai, Ikram Alikhel, Bahir Shah, Shahidullah Kamal, Ismat Alam, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Khalil Gurbaz, Bashir Ahmad.