MATCH Summary: Zimbabwe 359 (Curran 121, Raza 65, Ziaur Rahman 7-97) beat Afghanistan 127 (Evans 5-22, Muzarabani 3-47) and 159 (Ibrahim 42, Ngarava 5-37, Muzarabani 3-48, Chivanga 2-40) by an innings and 73 runs
Zimbabwe etched a chapter in their Test cricket history yesterday, securing a massive innings and 73-run victory over touring Afghanistan inside three days at the Harare Sports Club.
The emphatic win marks several milestones for the Chevrons: their first innings victory since 2001, their first win at home since 2013, and their largest-ever Test margin of victory.
The foundation for the win was laid by a stellar bowling effort, spearheaded by Brad Evans' 5 for 22 in the first innings, and capped off by Richard Ngarava’s career-best 5 for 37 in the second.
Coupled with Ben Curran’s magnificent century (121), the home side completely dominated the contest after an early wobble on day one.
Starting the third day with a clear plan, Zimbabwe’s bowlers wasted no time. The unexpected but inspired opening spell from Tanaka Chivanga saw the early departure of Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
However, it was the relentless pressure from Ngarava that truly broke the match open. In overcast conditions, Ngarava's subtle movement off the pitch was enough to dismantle Afghanistan’s top order, including the well-set Ibrahim Zadran (42).
The quick wickets of Hashmatullah Shahidi and the counter-attacking Bahir Shah off the bowling of Blessing Muzarabani ensured Afghanistan were never truly in the contest.
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After lunch, Ngarava completed his first Test five-wicket haul by removing Ismat Alam and Sharafuddin Ashraf.
Muzarabani then cleaned up the tail with two textbook dismissals, ending a match where Zimbabwe were in control from the second hour of the opening day.
Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine was full of praise for his squad's fighting spirit, reserving special commendation for the standout individual performances.
“I’m ecstatic,” Ervine said after the match. “A lot of credit to the boys for fighting and winning to end a tough year of Test cricket.”
Reflecting on the team's ability to bounce back after a shaky start on the first morning, Ervine noted the exemplary commitment of his players.
“The way we started, in the first hour of day one, wasn't good, but the way the boys pulled things back was excellent,” he said.
Ervine highlighted the crucial contributions with both bat and ball, singling out the Player of the Match.
“Then with the bat, Curran's innings — full of composure and discipline — was outstanding. The wicket offered something throughout, so the boys did well to put on some good partnerships. The boys have learnt from the Test cricket they've played in the last six-seven months to find their game. Brad (Evans) with the five-for in the first innings, and Richie (Ngarava) stepped up in the second innings. TK (Chivanga) was superb and Bless (Muzarabani) was unlucky not to take a few more wickets.”
In stark contrast to the jubilation in the Zimbabwean camp, Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott expressed disappointment, not just with his team’s performance, but with the lack of input he had in the squad selection.
“You know and obviously disappointed not to have been able to win the test match [and] will give a better account of ourselves,” Trott said. “The sad thing for me, though, is the fact that I haven't been able to have any input on the squad, haven't had any communication with the top management or the selector.”
Trott revealed a breakdown in communication with the board since the Asia Cup.
“I've been trying to get hold of them for the last couple of weeks and haven't been able to get any input back on the selection, not only for this squad but for the last few squads,” he said.
The former England batsman strongly felt that his experience was being ignored. “It's one of those things that I think as a coach you should have a bit of an idea or a little bit of input, certainly with the playing 11, which for this game again wasn't the case.
“As a coach, when you aren't able to have that input. Certainly, the success I feel we've been able to have as a team in the shorter format, I thought they might value my experience, as you say, having played a bit of test cricket, so that's unfortunate, and you know I'd like to, I'd also like to know why, maybe,” he said.
The two teams will now shift focus to the white-ball format, meeting again for a three-match T20I series starting on October 29.
