Belligerent Shahzad ton propels Afghanistan to series win

Tuesday, 12 January 2016 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

ESPNCricinfo: Mohammad Shahzad displayed trademark brute force and incredulous timing in his record-breaking ton to lead Afghanistan to a comfortable 81-run win against Zimbabwe in the second T20I in Sharjah.

The victory secured Afghanistan’s second 2-0 series win against Zimbabwe in under three months. Shahzad clobbered and pummeled his way to a 67-ball 118, which became the highest individual score from an Associate nation in T20Is and fourth overall. By the time he was done, Zimbabwe were not only deflated but had also conceded a mammoth 215.

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Mohammad Shahzad’s 118 became the highest individual score from an Associate nation and fourth overall – Chris Whiteoak

Zimbabwe, who have never won a T20 series comprising more than one game, were never really in the hunt from the start of the chase.

Save Hamilton Masakadza, the rest of the top six contributed a total of five runs, as Zimbabwe slumped to 34 for 5 in the sixth over.

Masakadza, who has been Zimbabwe’s best batsman on the tour, struck his eighth T20 fifty as well as past Chigumbura for most sixes in T20Is from a Zimbabwe batsman.

By the time he was bowled for 63, an innings that featured two fours and five sixes, Zimbabwe still required 102 from 26 balls.

Chief Scores: Afghanistan 215 for 6 (Shahzad 118*) beat Zimbabwe 134 (Masakadza 63, Moor 35, Hamza 2-15) by 81 runs