Bulawayo, Zimbabwe — Rahmat Shah’s stunning century kept Afghanistan in contention in the series-deciding second Test against Zimbabwe on Saturday. Shah scored a mind-boggling 139 runs at Queen’s Sports Club and helped his team recover from a precarious position before play was suspended due to rain late on the third day.
The 31-year-old put together a vital 132-run partnership with debutant Ismat Alam who remained unbeaten on 64 for the seventh wicket. Their stand turned Afghanistan’s overnight struggles into a promising lead. By the end of the match, Afghanistan had reached 291 for 7, building an advantage of 205 points.
The visiting team started the second day in difficult conditions, losing three wickets for just 46 runs, with captain Hashmattullah Shahidi being dismissed early after hitting just 13. Shah, who came in third for Afghanistan with 2 for 18, stabilized the innings with a determined knock. The number of deliveries reached 275.
Despite the early setbacks, Shah and Alam’s resilience provided Afghanistan with a path to victory in the southern city of Zimbabwe. However, the match was interrupted by rain, and play for the day was suspended.
Afghanistan’s early batting line-up was sluggish with Zia ur Rehman scoring just 6 points, Afsar Zazai 5, Shahidullah Kamal 22, Abdul Malik 1 and Riaz Hassan 11. Afghanistan scored 157 runs in the first innings, falling short of Zimbabwe’s 243 runs. However, the century under Shah’s command, with Alam providing solid support in the second innings, helped Afghanistan regain control.
Holding a significant lead with two days left, Afghanistan looks poised to deliver a decisive result, weather permitting.
