Ahmadzai and Farooqi lead Afghanistan to 37-run win over Zimbabwe

Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 37 runs in the first Twenty20 international in Sharjah on Tuesday, recovering from 66-5 to post 177 before dismissing their opponents for 140. According to BBC Sport's scorecard, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai made 52 from 22 balls and Fazalhaq Farooqi finished with 3-13 in a match in which both sides were bowled out.

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Zimbabwe chose to field at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium and made early inroads. Ibrahim Zadran departed for five, Sediq Atal for two and Mohammad Akram for four, leaving Afghanistan 18-3 after three overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz contributed 18 before becoming the fourth wicket at 45, and Azmatullah Omarzai's dismissal for seven left the innings at 66-5 in the 12th over.

Shahidullah Kamal helped rebuild with 46 from 42 deliveries, including two fours and three sixes. He and Ahmadzai added 57 for the sixth wicket before Shahidullah fell at 123-6. Ahmadzai supplied the faster scoring, striking four fours and four sixes during his half-century, before Brad Evans removed him with Afghanistan on 156 in the 19th over.

Rashid Khan then ensured Afghanistan's lower order continued to add runs, making 30 from just 10 balls with one four and four sixes. Newman Nyamhuri dismissed Rashid, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the final over to complete figures of 4-31. Afghanistan were all out after 19.5 overs, with Evans and Ernest Masuku taking two wickets each.

Zimbabwe's reply reached 56-3 before a fourth-wicket stand between Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza took the total to 94. Mujeeb removed Raza for 17, Rashid dismissed Tadiwanashe Marumani for seven and Farooqi accounted for Burl, whose 32 from 24 balls was Zimbabwe's highest score. Those wickets left the chase at 111-6 in the 17th over, still well short of the target.

Wessly Madhevere added 17 from eight balls, but Zimbabwe lost their remaining wickets before completing their allocation. Omarzai dismissed Evans and Masuku with successive deliveries, while Farooqi took the final wicket when Nyamhuri was caught by Rashid at 19.1 overs. Rashid returned 2-20 and Mujeeb 2-27, supporting Farooqi as Afghanistan completed the win with five balls of Zimbabwe's innings unused.