Captain Nabi top scores as Afghanistan post 125-8 in T20

Captain Mohammad Nabi top scored with 31 as Afghanistan posted a modest 125-8 in a dead rubber third Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.

Batting at number six, the all-rounder averaged a run a ball and struck two fours as the tourists sought a whitewash after victories by six wickets and 21 runs at the weekend.

Nabi was caught by rival skipper Craig Ervine at extra cover off the bowling of Luke Jongwe from the final ball of the 18th over when he sliced a full, wide delivery. 

Najibullah Zadran, tormentor in chief of Zimbabwe in both T20 triumphs with innings of 44 and 57, lasted only four balls before being caught by debutant wicketkeeper Clive Madande. 

A googly sent outside the off stump by Ryan Burl proved the undoing of Zadran.

Sikandar Raza (2-18) and Burl (2-22) were the most successful Zimbabwe bowlers.

Zimbabwe v Afghanistan 3rd T20 international scoreboard

Scoreboard of the third Twenty20 international between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday:

Afghanistan

Hazratullah Zazai c Kaia b Chatara        12   

Ihsanullah Janat c Kaia b Tiripano        20

Afsar Zazai b Raza                        24

Najibullah Zadran c Madande b Burl         2

Sharafuddin Ashraf b Burl                  5 

Mohammad Nabi c Ervine b Jongwe           31

Azmatullah Omarzai c Madhevere b Raza     11

Rashid Khan c Raza b Ndlovu                2  

Noor Ahmad not out                         4 

Nijat Masood not out                       4

Extras (b2, nb1, w7)                      10

Total (8 wkts, 20 overs)                 125

Did not bat: Fazalhaq Farooqi 

Fall of wickets: 1-23 (H. Zazai), 2-49 (Ihsanullah), 3-55 (Zadran), 4-64 (Ashraf), 5-80 (A. Zazai), 6-98 (Omarzai), 7-102 (Rashid), 8-117 (Nabi)

Bowling: Madhevere 1-0-10-0; Chatara 4-0-24-1 (1w); Tiripano 2-0-20-1 (2w); Ndlovu 3-0-16-1; Burl 4-0-22-2; Jongwe 2-0-13-1 (4w); Raza 4-0-18-2

Zimbabwe

W. Madhevere c Ahmad b Ashraf             14

I. Kaia run out (Masood)                  12

T. Marumani b Ahmad                       11

C. Ervine lbw b Ahmad                      1

S. Raza st A. Zazai b Ashraf               0

C. Madande c H. Zazai b Ahmad              2

R. Burl c and b Farooqi                   15

D. Tiripano b Ahmad                        0

L. Jongwe b Rashid                         4

A. Ndlovu not out                         13 

T. Chatara not out                         6

Extras (b1, lb5, nb1, w5)                 12

Total (9 wkts, 20 overs)                  90

Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Madhevere), 2-40 (Kaia), 3-42 (Ervine), 4-44 (Raza), 5-48 (Marumani), 6-56 (Madande), 7-56 (Tiripano), 8-69 (Jongwe), 9-69 (Burl)

Bowling: Farooqi 4-0-16-1 (1w); Masood 3-0-27-0; Ashraf 4-0-13-2 (1w); Omarzai 1-0-10-0 (1w); Rashid 4-0-8-1 (1w); Ahmad 4-0-10-4 (1w) 

Toss: Afghanistan

Result: Afghanistan won by 35 runs