Taylor's hundred at 40 carries Zimbabwe past 400 against Afghanistan in Sharjah

Brendan Taylor's hundred at the age of 40 has carried Zimbabwe past 400 in the first innings of the opening Test against Afghanistan in Sharjah

Zimbabwe moved beyond 400 on the second morning of the first Test in Sharjah, building on the century Brendan Taylor made on the opening day. By the end of the 105th over of the innings they were 407 for 6.

Taylor made 131 from 168 balls with 14 fours and four sixes, his seventh Test century and his first since he returned to international cricket last year after almost four years away from the game.

Zimbabwe, captained in a Test for the first time by the 22-year-old Brian Bennett, won the toss, chose to bat and closed the first day on 326 for 5, with Bennett unbeaten on 71 and Wessly Madhevere on 29.

A century at 40

Taylor was 40 years and 272 days old on the day he reached three figures, and only one batter has made an older Test hundred since 2000. Misbah-ul-Haq was 42 when he scored a century against England at Lord's in 2016.

The next name on that list is also a Zimbabwean. Craig Ervine, a team-mate of Taylor's in this squad, was 39 when he made a hundred against the same opponents at Bulawayo in 2024.

Taylor's innings ended at 262 for 3 when Hashmatullah Shahidi, the former Afghanistan captain, had him caught by Zia-ur-Rehman at long-off.

Taylor retired abruptly in September 2021. The following January the ICC banned him for three and a half years for breaches of its anti-corruption and anti-doping codes, and he did not play international cricket again until 2025.

This is only his fourth Test since that return.

Zimbabwe build through the day

Innocent Kaia made 34 from 51 balls and put on 60 for the first wicket with Ben Curran before Qais Ahmad broke the stand. Taylor and Curran then added 65 from 109 balls.

The innings turned on the third-wicket partnership between Taylor and Bennett, worth 137 from 200 balls and comfortably the largest of the day.

Afghanistan pulled the innings back late on the opening day, taking three wickets for 25 runs after Taylor fell, before the new ball and the second morning swung the balance back towards Zimbabwe.

Bennett's first Test in charge

Bennett, the vice-captain, is leading the side because Richard Ngarava is recovering from a back injury. The fast bowler Tanaka Chivanga is also unavailable.

He told NewsDay before the match that captaining Zimbabwe in a Test had been an ambition since childhood. His 71 from 128 balls was the second-highest score of the opening day.

Afghanistan without Rashid and Ibrahim

Afghanistan are playing this home series without Rashid Khan and the opener Ibrahim Zadran, both rested from Test cricket on medical advice, according to the Afghanistan Cricket Board. Rahmat Shah is captaining in Shahidi's place.

Rahmanullah Zadran, a middle-order batter, became Afghanistan's 43rd Test cricketer when he made his debut in this match.

The left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman carried the attack through the first day, finishing it with 2-118 from 30 overs. Shahidi was the most economical of the five bowlers used, at 1-24 from 10 overs, with Mohammad Saleem and Qais Ahmad taking one apiece.

Two Tests in the UAE

Both matches of the series are being played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Afghanistan's adopted home venue. The second Test begins on 13 November.

A first-innings total of this size, in conditions expected to turn more as the match wears on, gives Bennett a platform in his first game in charge.

Scorecard: Zimbabwe 407 for 6 in their first innings (Brendan Taylor 131) against Afghanistan at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, second day.