Bowlers put Zimbabwe in driver’s seat on 2nd day of Sharjah Test

Bowlers led Zimbabwe’s fightback after Naseer Maroofkhil’s heroics as Afghanistan were 159/6 at stumps, still trailing by 180 runs with three days remaining in the second Test at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Blessing Muzarabani, 3/31, and Vincent Masekesa, 2/47, shared five wickets between them as Zimbabwe restricted Afghanistan to 159/6 with Afsar Zazi (36) and Maroofkhil (3) at the crease at the close of the play on the second day.

Zimbabwe posted 339 in the first innings. In reply, Afghanistan got off to a faltering start as they lost their first wicket with just eight runs on the board. There was a little bit of moisture in the pitch and the air both.

Zimbabwean pacers Muzarabani and Brad Evans both tried to extract some help from the pitch and got the ball to swing in either direction with ease. They hit the deck hard and tested the Afghanistan openers. After surviving for half-an-hour, Afghanistan opener Sediqullah Atal failed to steer a rising delivery and nicked it to the wicket-keeper Tafadzwa Tsgi, who made no mistake.

After adding 19 runs to the total, Abdul Malik dragged a delivery off Evans from outside the off-stumps in a bid to pull it away. He could not connect it properly and the ball took away his bails. Afghanistan were reduced to 27/2.

With more than three days and two sessions to go, Afghanistan needed someone to play a sheet-anchor role. Rahmanullah and Hashmatullah Shahidi knuckled down to mend the stuttering innings.

They added 46 runs for the third wicket to take the score to 73/2. Zimbabwe’s spinner Masekesa struck to break the partnership. He invited Rahmanullah on the front-foot. The ball took the outer edge and directly went into the hands of the slip fielder as centurion Brendan Taylor completed a clean catch.

Masekesa found the sweet spot in the pitch and bowling from the same end he exploited it again. He caught Shahidi plumb in front to pick up his second scalp of the day and leave Afghanistan in tatters at 100/4.

Afghanistan kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and failed to get the partnership going. Every time they tried to take a step forward, they were pegged back by two by the Zimbabwe’s bowlers.

Brian Bennett rotated his bowlers effectively. When Shah and Zazai looked set against the spin bowlers, he removed spinners from the attack and brought back Muzarabani. It paid dividends as Muzarabani dismissed Shah leg-before wicket.

Muzarabani clean bowled Ikram Aikhil. The Zimbabwean pacer bowled a straight delivery, beating Aikhil by pace. The Afghanistan batter failed to bring the bat down in time, leaving a big gap between the pad and the bat. The ball skid off the pitch and straight away went on to hit the stumps.

Earlier, resuming from the overnight score of 250/5, Zimbabwe had a shaky start on the second day of the second Test. Overnight batsmen Brendon Taylor and Tsiga started cautiously to take the innings forward.

Taylor reached his eighth Test century and second consecutive in the series with a single off Saleem. He has become the second Zimbabwean batsman to score the most number of centuries after legendary Andy Flower, who has 12 in his name.

He added 39 in the morning with Tsiga before becoming the first victim of Maroofkhil on the second day of the match. Maroof had already titled the game in Afghanistan’s favour in the last session of the first day by claiming four wickets in quick succession.

Taylor’s dismissal opened the floodgates for Afghanistan bowlers, especially Maroofkhil. The debutant spinner ripped through the lower order of Zimbabwe and completed his seven-wicket haul on his debut. After picking up the wicket of Taylor, Maroofkhil trapped Graeme Cremer in front and uprooted the stumps of Vincent Masekesa in successive deliveries to become the second bowler in the history of Afghanistan cricket to take seven wickets on debut in Test matches.

The record for the best bowling figure on debut for Afghanistan is still held by his team-mate Zia-ur-Rehman, who claimed 7/97 against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2025. Maroofkhil conceded 144 for his seven.

However, the overall record for the best bowling figure on Test debut is held by India’s Narendra Hirwani. He took 16 wickets for 136. He took 8/61 in the first innings and 8/75 in the second. This still remains the record for a debutant both in an inning and a Test.

Yamin Ahadzai also opened his account as he rattled the stumps of Muzarabani to wrap up the Zimbabwean innings for 349. Due to a light shower last night, there was a bit of moisture in the pitch.

However, Afghanistan pacers could not exploit it and it was a spinner who stole the show. Zimbabwe lost five wickets and added 89 runs to their overnight score.