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RAIN played spoilsport as the opening ODI between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe was called off after just 9.2 overs of play with the latter on 44/5.
Earlier, persistent rain had delayed the start by close to four hours with the game reduced to a 28-overs-a-side affair. When the weather finally cleared, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi had no hesitation to bowl considering the overhead conditions.
For Afghanistan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz was ruled out of the series due to a Grade 2B quadriceps injury along with a bony hip flexor injury, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman was rested from the series.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, handed debuts to left-hand batter Ben Curran and left-arm seamer Newman Nyamhuri.
Shahidi’s decision to field was vindicated with both Azmatullah Omarzai and Fazalhaq Farooqi getting oodles of movement both off the pitch and in the air.
It was a tough initiation for Curran, who was beaten by Farooqi’s away movement in the opening over. He got off the mark in international cricket with a clip to deep fine leg, but batting was always going to remain a task.
Tadiwanashe Marumani got Zimbabwe’s boundary counter running with a neat cover drive off Farooqi but was undone by a peach of an in-dipper from Omarzai that saw his middle pole flattened.
Brian Bennett, the highest run-scorer in the preceding T20I series, then fell first ball to Omarzai with Mohammad Nabi holding onto a sharp chance to his right at second slip.
Dion Myers got a couple of drives away but was trapped in front of the stumps when he misread a Azmatullah Ghazanfar carrom ball and stayed back. Omarzai then removed Curran in the eighth over, who went for a flashing drive, only to get a thick outside edge through to the wicketkeeper.
Three balls later, it was Sean Williams’ turn to depart. He hung his bat out to a fuller-length ball from Omarzai only to get a thick edge to Ikram Alikhil.
The floodlights were switched on right from the start and once rain arrived two balls into the ninth over, it was curtains for the game.
Even in his short burst, Omarzai left a mark picking four for 18 off his four overs.
The second ODI will be played at the same venue on Thursday. – ESPNCricinfo
Siphakeme .Mnindwa
