Noor Ahmad's maiden T20I five-for bowls Zimbabwe out for 79 as Afghanistan sweep the series

Noor Ahmad took the first five-wicket haul of his T20 international career as Afghanistan bowled Zimbabwe out for 79 and completed a 3-0 series sweep in Sharjah

Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the third and final T20I at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday, knocking off a target of 80 in 8.1 overs to take the three-match series 3-0.

Having chosen to bowl, Afghanistan dismissed Zimbabwe for 79 in 14.3 overs. Noor Ahmad finished with 5-13 from 3.3 overs, the best return of his T20I career and the first five-wicket haul of it.

Ibrahim Zadran was unbeaten on 25 and Azmatullah Omarzai on 18 when the winning runs came with 71 balls to spare.

Three down inside four overs

Zimbabwe lost both openers in the first two overs of the innings. Fazalhaq Farooqi removed Innocent Kaia for 5, and Brian Bennett fell to Omarzai for 2.

When the debutant Abdullah Tarakhail dismissed captain Sikandar Raza for 2, Zimbabwe were 13 for 3 in the fourth over.

Tarakhail, playing his first T20I, took two wickets. Farooqi, Omarzai and Abdollah Ahmadzai took one each.

Noor's first five-for

Ryan Burl made the only score of substance, 30 from 29 balls with five fours, before he was trapped lbw by Ahmadzai.

Noor took the rest of the innings apart. The left-arm wrist-spinner removed the middle and lower order, and Zimbabwe were all out with more than five of their 20 overs unused.

It was the first time the 21-year-old, who plays his franchise cricket for Chennai Super Kings, had taken five wickets in a T20 international.

Wessly Madhevere, with 10 from 17 balls, was the next-highest scorer, and Newman Nyamhuri made 9 from 10. Ernest Masuku made 6 from 5 and Blessing Muzarabani 1 from 5, while three Zimbabwe batters were dismissed for 2 and two did not score at all.

A chase inside nine overs

Mohammad Akram hit 14 from five balls at the top of the order before Muzarabani dismissed him.

Masuku was the only Zimbabwe bowler to trouble the chase, taking 2-21 in two overs. He removed Sediqullah Atal for 20 from 14, an innings of two fours and a six, and then had Noor ul Rahman.

Zadran and Omarzai saw Afghanistan home without being parted, the 81 runs coming at better than nine an over and the match finishing with the best part of 12 overs unbowled.

One-sided from the opening match

Afghanistan won the first T20I by 37 runs, with Rashid Khan contributing with bat and ball, and went to Sharjah with the series already won.

The second match produced the only two centuries of the series. Omarzai made 116 from 50 balls, and although Raza answered with 106 from 56, Zimbabwe fell 19 runs short.

Zimbabwe therefore end the T20I leg of the tour without a win, having been beaten by 37 runs, by 19 runs and by seven wickets.

Tests to follow

The two sides stay in the United Arab Emirates for a two-match Test series that begins on November 5.

Raza's side go into it having been dismissed for 79, their lowest total of the three matches, in their last white-ball outing of the tour.

Afghanistan go into it having watched Noor dismiss half a side for 13 runs.

Scorecard: Zimbabwe 79 all out in 14.3 overs (Ryan Burl 30; Noor Ahmad 5-13) lost to Afghanistan 81 for 3 in 8.1 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 25 not out; Ernest Masuku 2-21) by seven wickets.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.