- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR16.4 Tossed up full around middle and leg, goes down and attempts to go for a sweep towards fine leg and ends up getting back of the bat and it goes to Atal at first slip, gets out in an unfortunate fashion as Afghanistan rejoice after finally managing to pick their first wicket 60/134.5 Cleaned him up with a JAFFA and Saleem screams in the face of Curran! A ferocious yorker angles in on the stumps with pinpoint line and length, completely baffling Curran. The batter attempts to block inside the line of the ball but fails to get behind it in time and loses his balance a bit as his front foot goes up in the air. Saleem sprints forward, throwing punches in the air and screaming his lungs out in joy, shooting a few fiery glances toward Curran. The batter turns around, shakes his head and mutters to himself in disappointment. 125/268.1 Taylor bites the dust! A brilliant innings finally comes to an end. Floated a length ball around off, tries to play it inside-out over extra cover, but fails to get inside the line of the ball properly and miscues it towards long off, doesn't get quite hold of it and picks out the fielder there. Massive round of applause from the dressing room and the gallery, as Taylor trudges back. 262/3116.1 Bennett loses his cool and throws his wicket away! A harmless, floated fuller delivery in the slot wide outside off is chased as he tries to send it downtown, but he miscues the slog. Failing to get underneath the line of the ball, he mistimes it toward the cover region, where Zia-ur-Rehman tracks back and gobbles it up while tumbling down. Bennett knew what he had done the moment he played the shot, his head dropping instantly in disappointment. 437/773.3 Massive appeal and the finger goes up straight away! Flighted a good length ball pitching around middle-off, plays off the front foot and gets deceived by the slight turn, strikes the back pad and looks quite adjacent to me from here. 271/479.1 Naqvi departs after getting strangled down the legside! Soft dismissal and brilliant glovework behind the stumps. Floated a length ball pitching well outside the leg stump and spins back in, tries to help it away against the turn, gets a tickle off the bat and Alikhil grabs it cleanly and makes no mistake. Naqvi was looking solid with the bat in his short stay on his international debut, but gifted his wicket away in the end against a loose delivery. 287/5101.2 Madhevere is on the floor; he is completely bamboozled and outclassed by the bumper delivery! Afghanistan continue to utilize short ball tactics. This one was darted short on the stumps, getting too big on Madhevere, who tries to leave it alone. He fails to get away from the line of the ball, losing his shape inside the crease with his bat face still extended involuntarily, connecting to a top edge and a regulation catch for the keeper behind the stumps. Madhevere lies down on the ground, helpless, beaten, defeated, with both eyes open and watching the sunny sky. 383/6124.1 Trapped in front and gone! Misjudging the line and length, this one is quicker through the air on a length and traps Tsiga on the back leg. The batter moves onto the back foot to work it across the line, misses a straight delivery, and it looks dead plumb to the naked eye. Tsiga walks away immediately, undone by playing down the wrong line. 472/8132.1 Saleem strikes! Good length ball nips back in just a wee bit on middle-leg. Nyamhuri fails to get behind the line of the ball and misses the delivery, thuds the pad in front of the stumps and the umpire raises his finger right away. 498/9134.3 Cleaned him up with a straightner! Hard length ball darted on the off stump channel. Muzarabani backs away too early, expecting another yorker or bouncer delivery. But this one is a seamed-up delivery right on the channel, catching Muzarabani off-guard, and he fails to defend inside the line of the ball, knocking over the off stump. 504/10Extras11 (b 8, lb 3)TOTAL504 all out (134.3 Overs, RR: 3.74)Fall of wickets: 1-60 (Innocent Kaia, 16.4 ov), 2-125 (Ben Curran, 34.5 ov), 3-262 (Brendan Taylor, 68.1 ov), 4-271 (Craig Ervine, 73.3 ov), 5-287 (Antum Naqvi, 79.1 ov), 6-383 (Wessly Madhevere, 101.2 ov), 7-437 (Brian Bennett, 116.1 ov), 8-472 (Tafadzwa Tsiga, 124.1 ov), 9-498 (Newman Nyamhuri, 132.1 ov), 10-504 (Blessing Muzarabani, 134.3 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB Mohammad Saleem 27.3 6 82 3 2.98 0 0 Ziaur Rahman 20 3 79 1 3.95 0 0 Zia-ur-Rehman 46 7 170 2 3.69 0 0 Qais Ahmad 27 2 120 3 4.44 0 0 Shahidullah 2 0 11 0 5.5 0 0 Hashmatullah Shahidi 12 2 31 1 2.58 0 0
05/11Stumps
1st Test, Zimbabwe tour of United Arab Emirates at Sharjah, Nov 5-9 2026
-
![Zimbabwe]( "Zimbabwe")
504 & 164/3 * (40 ov) -
![Afghanistan]( "Afghanistan")
Current Run Rate
CRR
4.1
Last 10 Ov (Run Rate)
Last 10 Ov (RR)
34/0 (3.4)
05/11Stumps
1st Test, Zimbabwe tour of United Arab Emirates at Sharjah, Nov 5-9 2026
-
![Zimbabwe]( "Zimbabwe")
504 & 164/3 * (40 ov) -
![Afghanistan]( "Afghanistan")
Current Run Rate
CRR
4.1
Last 10 Ov (Run Rate)
Last 10 Ov (RR)
34/0 (3.4)
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR65.5 And there is a wicket! He is caught behind on the most innocuous ball that Cremer could have bowled all day. Short and wide, a gentle leg-break. He looks to carve this through the point by opening the face of his bat but is too lazy as he extends his arms without any foot movement. It takes a tickle off his inside edge on its way to the keeper's gloves. 220/25.2 Short and angled outside leg-stump, a harmless delivery and he fiddles with it, gets a faint tickle on it and it has been pouched splendidly by the keeper while diving to his left! Malik departs early in the piece and it's turning out to be a fabulous start by Zimbabwe 14/175.2 Direct-hit! Is that the end of Rahmanullah?! Tossed up in stumps and Rahmanullah scampers to the other end right away as he taps it to the mid-on. Madhevere gathers the ball and hurls it to the non-striker's end where Zadran is found short of the crease by the third umpire. Both centurions are back in the pavilion now. Excellent fielding 251/3168.2 Has he been able to collect the ball cleanly?! Shah jumps out of the crease and is beaten by the lack of pace in that flighted delivery. Tsiga fumbles but seems to have gathered the ball eventually and dislodges the bails with Shah way outside the crease. That brings to an end to an incredible marathon innings which has pushed this contest towards the draw. 502/982.2 Nyamhuri strikes! Three-quarter length ball pitching well outside off, plays the square drive away from the body and keeps the full face of the bat planted, connects the sticker part of the bat and edges it to the gully fielder. 275/484.2 Soft dismissal once again! Length ball darted wide outside the leg stump line, Shahidullah takes the bait and tries to glance it away, tickles off the bat and Tsiga grabs a well judged catch diving full stretched to his right side 275/5107.6 And Ikram throws away his wicket. Short and wide from round the wicket, it turned into stumps, and Ikram rocked back to drill it through the covers but ended up handing a low catch to Ben Curran at cover. Zimbabwe bag another crucial wicket. 340/6122.6 Nyamhuri is pumped up and he deserves all the credit! Full and overpitched, well outside off, tempting Qais into a false stroke. With zero foot movement, he flashes at an expansive cover drive away from his body, managing only an outside edge. Tsiga takes a brilliant low catch, diving to his right, leaving Rahmat Shah standing utterly baffled, astonished and shell-shocked, fixing a stern glare on Qais from the non-striker's end. 395/7162.3 He had been looking for an edge and he gets it! Banged on a length in the corridor outside off and Zia looked to carve it behind point without any foot movement. The ball took a faint edge of his bat on its way to the keeper who made no mistake. Brings to an end a brilliant innings. 487/8169.4 That's his maiden five-fer in the format. Hits the top of his middle stump with the length ball from round the wicket. Saleem went for a pull but it was too full for that kind of the shot. He leads his teammates off the field as he salutes his teammates in the dugout with the ball. 514/10Extras17 (b 4, lb 10, nb 2, w 1)TOTAL514 all out (169.4 Overs, RR: 3.02)Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Abdul Malik, 5.2 ov), 2-220 (Sediqullah Atal, 65.5 ov), 3-251 (Rahmanullah, 75.2 ov), 4-275 (Hashmatullah Shahidi, 82.2 ov), 5-275 (Shahidullah, 84.2 ov), 6-340 (Ikram Alikhil, 107.6 ov), 7-395 (Qais Ahmad, 122.6 ov), 8-487 (Zia-ur-Rehman, 162.3 ov), 9-502 (Rahmat Shah, 168.2 ov), 10-514 (Mohammad Saleem, 169.4 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB B Muzarabani 35 9 93 1 2.65 0 1 NT Nyamhuri 30.4 6 82 5 2.67 1 0 W Madhevere 15 2 38 0 2.53 0 0 AG Cremer 55 5 177 3 3.21 0 1 AA Naqvi 29 0 92 0 3.17 0 0 BJ Bennett 5 0 18 0 3.6 0 0
- BATSMENRB4s6sSR3.4 Kaia bites the dust! Flighted a good length ball angling in and straightening just enough to beat the front foot defensive stroke of Innocent Kaia, misses the length and thuds the front pad in front of the stumps. The umpire nods his head and raises his finger immediately. 7/111.4 Tossed up outside off and it is thumped to the man at mid-on. That - many in the Zimbabwe dressing room would say - was unnecessary. He was looking to clear the man but did not quite get the elevation for it as Shahidullah reverse cupped it from his right shoulder. 38/226.3 Oh my words! What is happening out there! A length ball on the stumps is tucked away to the on-side just to the right of midwicket. A single is called immediately, and Bennett steps out of the crease, walks a few paces, and then abruptly sends his partner back. But it is far too late for BT to turn and recover his ground; the ring fielder pounces on the ball, whips a sharp throw in to the wicketkeeper, and Alikhil does the rest. Taylor is left absolutely furious with his skipper, even though it should have been an easy single. A fine innings comes to a close in the most unfortunate fashion! 120/3Extras0TOTAL164/3 (40 Overs, RR: 4.1)Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Innocent Kaia, 3.4 ov), 2-38 (Ben Curran, 11.4 ov), 3-120 (Brendan Taylor, 26.3 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB Ziaur Rahman 4 1 20 0 5 0 0 Zia-ur-Rehman 20 2 65 2 3.25 0 0 Mohammad Saleem 7 1 28 0 4 0 0 Qais Ahmad 4 0 25 0 6.25 0 0 Hashmatullah Shahidi 5 0 26 0 5.2 0 0
Match Details
Toss
Zimbabwe , elected to bat first
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
10.00 start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00
Match days
5,6,7,8,9 November 2026 (5-day match)
Test debut
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Close of Play
- day 1 - Zimbabwe 1st innings 326/5 (BJ Bennett 71*, W Madhevere 29*, 87 ov)
- day 2 - Afghanistan 1st innings 113/1 (Sediqullah Atal 55*, Rahmanullah 50*, 35 ov)
- day 3 - Afghanistan 1st innings 402/7 (Rahmat Shah 94*, Zia-ur-Rehman 0*, 125 ov)
- day 4 - Zimbabwe 2nd innings 164/3 (BJ Bennett 49*, CR Ervine 20*, 40 ov)
Match Notes
- Rahmat Shah: 100 off 205 balls (9 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Drinks: Afghanistan - 429/7 in 140.0 overs (Rahmat Shah 117, Zia-ur-Rehman 4)
- 8th Wicket: 50 runs in 136 balls (Rahmat Shah 45, Zia-ur-Rehman 5, Ex 1)
- Afghanistan: 450 runs in 146.6 overs (883 balls), Extras 16
- Lunch: Afghanistan - 465/7 in 155.0 overs (Rahmat Shah 146, Zia-ur-Rehman 9)
- Rahmat Shah: 150 off 309 balls (11 x 4, 3 x 6)
- New ball taken at 162.1 overs
- Afghanistan: 500 runs in 167.1 overs (1005 balls), Extras 17
- Drinks: Afghanistan - 502/8 in 168.0 overs (Rahmat Shah 173, Mohammad Saleem 4)
- Innings Break: Afghanistan - 514/10 in 169.4 overs (Ziaur Rahman 7)
- Tea: Zimbabwe - 30/1 in 8.0 overs (BJ Curran 11, BRM Taylor 18)
- Zimbabwe: 50 runs in 14.1 overs (85 balls), Extras 0
- BRM Taylor: 50 off 61 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Drinks: Zimbabwe - 85/2 in 20.0 overs (BRM Taylor 61, BJ Bennett 11)
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 54 balls (BRM Taylor 37, BJ Bennett 13, Ex 0)
- Zimbabwe: 100 runs in 22.6 overs (138 balls), Extras 0
- Drinks: Zimbabwe - 148/3 in 33.0 overs (BJ Bennett 38, CR Ervine 15)
- Zimbabwe: 150 runs in 35.3 overs (213 balls), Extras 0
- Bad Light: Zimbabwe - 164/3 in 40.0 overs (BJ Bennett 49, CR Ervine 20)
- End Of Day: Zimbabwe - 164/3 in 40.0 overs (BJ Bennett 49, CR Ervine 20)
- 2nd Wicket: 100 runs in 183 balls (Sediqullah Atal 43, Rahmanullah 51, Ex 6)
- Afghanistan: 150 runs in 46.2 overs (279 balls), Extras 7
- Drinks: Afghanistan - 161/1 in 50.0 overs (Sediqullah Atal 78, Rahmanullah 74)
- 2nd Wicket: 150 runs in 274 balls (Sediqullah Atal 68, Rahmanullah 75, Ex 7)
- Afghanistan: 200 runs in 57.4 overs (347 balls), Extras 8
- Rahmanullah: 100 off 156 balls (12 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Sediqullah Atal: 100 off 197 balls (6 x 4, 3 x 6)
- 2nd Wicket: 200 runs in 336 balls (Sediqullah Atal 90, Rahmanullah 102, Ex 8)
- Lunch: Afghanistan - 216/1 in 64.0 overs (Sediqullah Atal 103, Rahmanullah 103)
- Afghanistan: 250 runs in 75.1 overs (452 balls), Extras 8
- Drinks: Afghanistan - 275/3 in 81.0 overs (Rahmat Shah 37, Hashmatullah Shahidi 6)
- New ball taken at 80.2 overs
- Tea: Afghanistan - 290/5 in 92.0 overs (Rahmat Shah 41, Ikram Alikhil 10)
- Afghanistan: 300 runs in 95.4 overs (575 balls), Extras 13
- Rahmat Shah: 50 off 109 balls (3 x 4, 1 x 6)
- 6th Wicket: 50 runs in 107 balls (Rahmat Shah 21, Ikram Alikhil 28, Ex 1)
- Drinks: Afghanistan - 342/6 in 110.0 overs (Rahmat Shah 62, Qais Ahmad 0)
- Afghanistan: 350 runs in 111.6 overs (673 balls), Extras 14
- 7th Wicket: 50 runs in 86 balls (Rahmat Shah 26, Qais Ahmad 23, Ex 1)
- Afghanistan: 400 runs in 123.6 overs (745 balls), Extras 14
- End Of Day: Afghanistan - 402/7 in 125.0 overs (Rahmat Shah 94, Zia-ur-Rehman 0)
- 6th Wicket: 50 runs in 64 balls (BJ Bennett 20, W Madhevere 31, Ex 0)
- Zimbabwe: 350 runs in 91.6 overs (552 balls), Extras 6
- Drinks: Zimbabwe - 370/5 in 99.0 overs (BJ Bennett 94, W Madhevere 49)
- W Madhevere: 50 off 65 balls (8 x 4)
- BJ Bennett: 100 off 178 balls (8 x 4)
- Zimbabwe: 400 runs in 103.6 overs (624 balls), Extras 11
- Lunch: Zimbabwe - 421/6 in 111.0 overs (BJ Bennett 123, TE Tsiga 13)
- 7th Wicket: 50 runs in 84 balls (BJ Bennett 30, TE Tsiga 20, Ex 0)
- Zimbabwe: 450 runs in 120.1 overs (721 balls), Extras 11
- Drinks: Zimbabwe - 488/8 in 129.0 overs (AG Cremer 28, NT Nyamhuri 3)
- Zimbabwe: 500 runs in 133.4 overs (802 balls), Extras 11
- Innings Break: Zimbabwe - 504/10 in 134.3 overs (AG Cremer 34)
- Tea: Afghanistan - 8/0 in 4.0 overs (Sediqullah Atal 6, Abdul Malik (1) 2)
- Drinks: Afghanistan - 44/1 in 15.0 overs (Sediqullah Atal 19, Rahmanullah 22)
- Afghanistan: 50 runs in 17.2 overs (104 balls), Extras 1
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 95 balls (Sediqullah Atal 22, Rahmanullah 28, Ex 1)
- Drinks: Afghanistan - 96/1 in 29.0 overs (Sediqullah Atal 45, Rahmanullah 48)
- Afghanistan: 100 runs in 31.2 overs (188 balls), Extras 1
- Rahmanullah: 50 off 78 balls (7 x 4)
- Sediqullah Atal: 50 off 101 balls (3 x 4, 2 x 6)
- End Of Day: Afghanistan - 113/1 in 35.0 overs (Sediqullah Atal 55, Rahmanullah 50)
- Drinks: Zimbabwe - 45/0 in 12.0 overs (I Kaia 26, BJ Curran 18)
- Zimbabwe: 50 runs in 12.6 overs (78 balls), Extras 1
- 1st Wicket: 50 runs in 78 balls (I Kaia 30, BJ Curran 21, Ex 1)
- Zimbabwe: 100 runs in 25.2 overs (152 balls), Extras 6
- Lunch: Zimbabwe - 104/1 in 28.0 overs (BJ Curran 39, BRM Taylor 25)
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 76 balls (BJ Curran 14, BRM Taylor 32, Ex 5)
- BRM Taylor: 50 off 67 balls (5 x 4, 2 x 6)
- Zimbabwe: 150 runs in 41.4 overs (250 balls), Extras 6
- Drinks: Zimbabwe - 153/2 in 42.0 overs (BRM Taylor 56, BJ Bennett 15)
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 86 balls (BRM Taylor 25, BJ Bennett 25, Ex 0)
- Zimbabwe: 200 runs in 53.5 overs (323 balls), Extras 6
- Tea: Zimbabwe - 213/2 in 57.0 overs (BRM Taylor 95, BJ Bennett 36)
- BRM Taylor: 100 off 135 balls (11 x 4, 4 x 6)
- 3rd Wicket: 100 runs in 145 balls (BRM Taylor 63, BJ Bennett 37, Ex 0)
- Zimbabwe: 250 runs in 65.2 overs (392 balls), Extras 6
- BJ Bennett: 50 off 84 balls (3 x 4)
- Drinks: Zimbabwe - 266/3 in 71.0 overs (BJ Bennett 51, CR Ervine 2)
- Zimbabwe: 300 runs in 82.4 overs (496 balls), Extras 6
- New ball taken at 86.5 overs
- End Of Day: Zimbabwe - 326/5 in 87.0 overs (BJ Bennett 71, W Madhevere 29)
Match Coverage
All Match NewsTaylor, Bennett put Zimbabwe back in control after Afghanistan's record stand
Rahmat Shah's 173 gave Afghanistan a slender first-innings lead before Zimbabwe pulled ahead in Sharjah
Rahmanullah, Atal and Rahmat blunt Zimbabwe on third day
Afghanistan ended at 402 for 7, just 102 runs behind, despite Newman Nyamhuri's four wickets
Bennett ton, lower-order resistance put Zimbabwe on top
Afghanistan responded with a promising batting effort with Atal and Rahmanullah scoring a fifty each, trimming the deficit to 391
Taylor 131, Bennett's 71* give opening-day honours to Zimbabwe
The two added 137 for the third wicket to ensure Zimbabwe ended in a strong position despite Afghanistan taking three wickets in the final session
Naqvi debuts, Cremer returns as Zimbabwe bat in opening Test
Afghanistan handed a debut to middle-order batter Rahmanullah
