With the white ball chain finished and dusted off, Afghanistan Zimbabwe will now play a two-match ZIM vs AFG Test series against each other. The much-anticipated first ZIM vs AFG Test will be played from Thursday (December 26) at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.
Earlier in the ongoing tour, Afghanistan played 3 T20Is and several ODIs against Zimbabwe. The ZIM vs AFG tour started on a losing note for the visitors as they lost the first T20I by four wickets. However, they bounced back and won the next two games to clinch the series.
In the ODI series, Zimbabwe was no match for Afghanistan. After rain in the first ODI, Afghanistan thrashed the hosts by 232 runs in the second ODI. In the third match, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets to win the group 2-0.
With both Afghanistan and Zimbabwe looking to get off to a successful start in the Test series, here's a preview of the game.
ZIM vs AFG match preview – 1st Test, Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe 2024-25:
ZIM vs AFG first test, date and location:
Zimbabwe's first Test against Afghanistan is scheduled to be played from Thursday (December 26). The venue is Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.
the difference:
Zimbabwe:
Craig Irvine (captain), Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Jonathan Campbell, Takodzwa Chatira, Joylord Gumbi, Trevor Gwandu, Takodzuwanashi Caetano, Tadiwanashi Marumane, Brandon Mafuta, Nyasha Maiavu, Blessing Mzarabane, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Nyoman Nyamhuri, Sikander Raza . , Sean Williams
Afghanistan:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rehmat Shah (VC), Ikram Ali Khel (WK), Afsar Zazai (WK), Riaz Hassan, Siddiqullah Atal, Zahir Khan, Ziaur Rahman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Abdul Malik, Bahir Shah Mahboob. , Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik, and A.M. Ghazanfar.
ZIM vs AFG main battles
AM Ghazanfar vs Sean Williams:
Shaun Williams has a great record against Zimbabwe in Tests. The senior batsman holds the record for scoring the most runs in Afghanistan Tests against Zimbabwe. In the two Tests he has played against Afghanistan so far, Williams has scored 264 runs including two centuries.
Williams will look to repeat the same performance in the upcoming series as well. He can make a big difference in the series and Afghanistan will depend on their spinner AM Ghazanfar to stop the Zimbabwe batsman. In the last ODI series, Ghazanfar took 9 wickets including a 5-wicket haul in the third match.
Richard Ngarava vs Siddiqullah Attal:
Siddiqullah Atal looked in great form in the ODI series against Zimbabwe. After the first ODI, he scored 104 runs in the second ODI. In the third ODI, he scored 52 runs and finished the series as the highest run-scorer.
With form on his side, Atal will be looking forward to further success in the first Test. Zimbabwe will hope the Afghanistan openers do not score big and will rely on their fast bowler Richard Ngarava to bring them back.
Heshmatullah Shahidi vs. Iskander Reza:
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi will look to lead his team from the front. Shahidi, a reliable middle-order batsman, has already scored two centuries against Zimbabwe in Tests and will look to live up to expectations in the upcoming Test as well.
Zimbabwe hopes that its great player, Sikandar Raza, does not allow Shahidi to score big goals. The easy-to-use Raza can cause a lot of trouble to Shahidi who is a left-handed batsman.
ZIM vs AFG key players
Zim – Shaun Williams, Craig Irvine, Sikandar Raza and Richard Ngarava will be the key players for Zimbabwe.
AFG – Siddiqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, AM Ghazanfar and Fareed Ahmed will be the key players for Afghanistan.
conclusion:
Both Zimbabwe and Afghanistan will look to start the Test series on a winning note. While the momentum is certainly with Afghanistan after their T20I and ODI series wins, the home conditions are with Zimbabwe and they will look to make the most of it.
