This decision came after Afghanistan’s dominant performance in the second ODI, where they defeated Zimbabwe by a massive 232 runs. Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, made two changes to the team for this match.
The first change saw left-arm pacer Fareed Malik come in for Fazalhaq Farooqi. Fareed Malik’s inclusion brought fresh energy to the Afghanistan bowling attack, with his left-arm pace being a good match for Zimbabwe’s batters. The second change was the debut of 22-year-old right-arm fast bowler Bilal Sami.
Sami has been impressive in domestic cricket, taking 34 wickets in 18 List A games at an average of 24.64. He replaced Naveed Zadran in the team, giving Afghanistan another pace option. Bilal Sami’s debut added excitement to the team as they hoped to add a new dimension to their bowling attack.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe also made two changes to their team for the match. Zimbabwe’s captain, Craig Ervine, announced that Joylord Gumbie would replace Dion Myers at the top of the order. Gumbie’s inclusion was a bid to strengthen Zimbabwe’s batting as they aimed to set a challenging total for Afghanistan.
The second change saw left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza coming in for right-arm seamer Tinotenda Maposa. This swap brought in a more spin-heavy approach from Zimbabwe, hoping to exploit any turning conditions and put pressure on Afghanistan’s batters.
Afghanistan went into the match with a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series,
Having won the second ODI convincingly. The first match of the series had been washed out due to rain, meaning Afghanistan had the upper hand going into this decider.
Afghanistan’s recent form against Zimbabwe has been strong, with the team having won their last five ODI series against Zimbabwe since 2015. Their last defeat in an ODI series against Zimbabwe was back in 2014 when the series ended in a 2-2 draw.
With this strong record and a dominant performance in the second ODI, Afghanistan were confident heading into the third match. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, were determined to bounce back and try to level the series, especially with the changes they made to their lineup.
Overall, this match was crucial for both teams. Afghanistan, with their well-balanced squad and recent success, were looking to continue their dominance, while Zimbabwe, with their changes and fresh approach, were hoping to turn the tide in their favor and challenge Afghanistan’s unbeaten record in bilateral ODI series against them.
Zimbabwe: Joylord Gumbie, Ben Curran, Craig Ervine (capt), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Trevor Gwandu
Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Fareed Malik, Bilal Sami
