Unbeaten Afghanistan meet Zimbabwe in Sharjah with the UAE tri-series title at stake

Afghanistan carry an unbeaten record into the UAE tri-series final against Zimbabwe in Sharjah, where Rashid Khan has taken four wickets in each round-robin match

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe meet at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday to decide the UAE ODI tri-series, Afghanistan having won both of their group matches and Zimbabwe having reached the final on the strength of one emphatic victory over Bangladesh.

Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 158 runs in Abu Dhabi on October 19, posting 294 before bowling the other side out for 136, and then dismissed Bangladesh for 160 to win by seven wickets with 87 balls to spare.

Zimbabwe's single win was comprehensive in its own right, but Sikandar Raza's side have still to find an answer to the bowler who has defined the tournament.

Afghanistan's unbeaten week

Against Bangladesh, the seam of Yamin Ahmadzai and Azmatullah Omarzai broke open the top order before Rashid Khan worked through the lower half, so that much of the job was done before the legspinner was called on at all.

The batting has been shared out in the same way. Ibrahim Zadran has been among the runs across the week, and Sediqullah Atal made 102 against Zimbabwe on Monday, days after a match-saving fourth-innings effort against Bangladesh in the one-off Test.

Rahmat Shah, unbeaten on 67 in the win over Bangladesh, and Hashmatullah Shahidi both go into the final with time at the crease behind them.

Afghanistan have also had little need of their lower middle order. Rahmanullah Gurbaz has yet to produce an innings of substance, and Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid have barely been asked to bat.

Rashid Khan against Sikandar Raza

Rashid has eight wickets in the tournament, four in each match. He returned 4-17 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 136 and 4-31 as Bangladesh folded for 160.

Zimbabwe's difficulty has been compounded by losing early wickets, which left them defending rather than attacking him. Raza's 48 was the highest score of that 136.

The matchup is a long-standing one. Raza has faced Rashid more often than any other Zimbabwe batter in one-day internationals and has been dismissed by him seven times, more than anyone in his side, while also hitting him for more boundaries than any of them.

How Zimbabwe got here

Zimbabwe opened the tri-series in Abu Dhabi on October 17 by beating Bangladesh by 99 runs, recovering from 24 for 3 to make 271 for 8 and then bowling the chase out for 172 in 33.4 overs.

Craig Ervine and Brendan Taylor added 150 for the fourth wicket in that innings, Ervine falling nine short of a century on 93 from 106 balls and Taylor making 81 from 101. Ervine was named player of the match.

Taskin Ahmed took 3-44 for Bangladesh and Brad Evans finished as Zimbabwe's leading wicket-taker in the group stage.

A top order under scrutiny

Zimbabwe's top three of Brian Bennett, Ben Curran and Tafadzwa Tsiga have produced little in two outings, which is why Ervine's availability matters.

He missed the match against Afghanistan and his return strengthens the middle order, though it also raises the question of whether he should bat at No. 3, where the newcomer Tsiga has struggled.

The bowling is what keeps Zimbabwe competitive. Blessing Muzarabani and Evans have the experience, Ernest Masuku has shown he can find wickets when others cannot, and Raza and Wellington Masakadza are expected to bowl their full allocation.

Sharjah hosts a final again

The match is the first ODI tournament final staged at Sharjah in 23 years, at a ground whose slower surfaces have historically rewarded spin — conditions that favour the side with Rashid and Mohammad Nabi in it.

Afghanistan's captain, Rahmat Shah, framed the advantage in simpler terms before the series began. "I think Afghanistan would be the favourite team here because we've been playing all our games in the UAE," he said.

Afghanistan are expected to keep the eleven that won both round-robin matches.

Play begins at 5.00pm IST at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with Zimbabwe needing to beat Afghanistan for the first time this tournament to take the title.

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