AFGHANISTAN claimed their first one-day international series win against a ICC full member nation yesterday as they beat Zimbabwe by 73 runs, completing a 3-2 triumph.The minnows cruised to victory despite a maiden ODI century for Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams, Afghanistan clinching the series having trailed 2-1 following the first three encounters.
Having been put into bat, Afghanistan made a promising start with their top four all getting in as they reached 139-2 after 30 overs – Noor Ali Zadran (54) and Mohammad Nabi (53) both registering half-centuries.
A mid-order collapse ended their chances of a total close to 300, the tourists slipping from 172-3 to 202-7 in nine overs as Zimbabwe’s bowling unit enjoyed some success.
Captain Asghar Stanikzai (38) remained defiant, though, and along with the support of Mirwais Ashraf (21) and Dawlat Zadran (13 not out) they piled on a flurry of late runs to reach 245-9 from their 50 overs.
Zimbabwe – who have been let down by their batting during the series – once again floundered as three wickets fell inside the opening four overs – Dawlat Zadran (4-22) immediately into the action with two dismissals.
While wickets were falling around him, Williams ploughed a lone furrow with a superb innings as he gave Zimbabwe faint hope, the 29-year-old hitting three fours and four huge sixes on his way to three figures.
He brought up his first hundred in ODIs with a push for a single down the ground, but two overs later he was gone for 102 from 124 deliveries – the last man to fall as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 172, handing Afghanistan their historic triumph.