AFGHANISTAN TOUR OF ZIMBABWE, 2024-25
Only 31 overs were bowled on the fourth day. © Zimbabwe Cricket
Afghanistan closed in on Zimbabwe’s first-innings total on a rain-hit Day 4 in Bulawayo, with only 31 overs of play possible. The marathon partnership worth 364 between Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi finally came to an end but persistent rain post Lunch meant neither side could force the game forward on an unresponsive pitch as Afghanistan went into Stumps at 515/3, 71 shy of Zimbabwe.
Resuming the day at 425/2, the overnight pair could add only three more runs before debutant Newman Nyamhuri bagged his maiden Test wicket after Rahmat drove away from his body and was caught at gully. But Afghanistan made steady progress despite the wicket, as Afsar Zazai joined Shahidi and the pair put on a half-century stand to help Afghanistan past 500.
Shahidi went past 150 for the second time in his Test career and was looking good to register his second double hundred. Meanwhile, Zazai collected three boundaries and even struck a six off Sean Williams and was four away from his fifty when Afghanistan went into Lunch at 507/3.
Shahidi added eight more to his run-tally after Lunch but the two overs bowled after the break was the last of the action on Day 4, with rain pelting down continuously, eventually forcing the umpires to call it off for the day.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 586 lead Afghanistan 515/3 (Rahmat Shah 234, Hashmatullah Shahidi 179*, Afsar Zazai 46*; Blessing Muzarabani 1-52) by 71 runs.
© Cricbuzz
