Omarzai hits 116 as Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 19 runs in Sharjah

Azmatullah Omarzai scored 116 from 50 balls as Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 19 runs in the second Twenty20 international at Sharjah on Thursday. According to BBC Sport's scorecard, Afghanistan recovered from 38-5 to post 221-7 before restricting Zimbabwe to 202-5, despite an unbeaten century from visiting captain Sikandar Raza.

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Zimbabwe's decision to field initially brought immediate rewards. Brad Evans dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Akram for ducks in the opening over, before Kundai Matigimu removed Ibrahim Zadran for one and Shahidullah Kamal for another duck from successive deliveries. Afghanistan were 5-4, and the departure of Sediq Atal for 17 to Vincent Masekesa left them five wickets down after 8.1 overs.

Omarzai and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai then added 142 for the sixth wicket, taking the total from 38 to 180 before Ahmadzai was dismissed from the final ball of the 18th over. Ahmadzai contributed 52 from 27 deliveries, including five fours and three sixes. Omarzai's innings contained five fours and 12 sixes, with his boundaries alone accounting for 92 of his runs.

Raza eventually dismissed Omarzai, caught by Evans, with Afghanistan on 195-7. Rashid Khan supplied another burst of scoring, finishing unbeaten on 25 from just six balls with four sixes. Mujeeb Ur Rahman was two not out. Evans finished with 2-40 and Matigimu took 2-48, while Raza's four overs cost 53 runs.

Zimbabwe's reply included 25 from Innocent Kaia and 22 from Brian Bennett, but wickets through the middle of the innings left them 82-5 at the halfway stage. Raza and Tafadzwa Tsiga then put on an unbroken 120 for the sixth wicket. Raza finished on 106 from 56 balls, hitting five fours and nine sixes, while Tsiga made 31 not out from 23 deliveries.

The partnership kept Zimbabwe scoring without further losses, but their final total remained short of the 222 required. Abdullah Ahmadzai led Afghanistan's wicket-taking with 2-34 from four overs, dismissing Bennett and Ryan Burl. Rashid returned 1-29 from his four overs, while Omarzai followed his century with 1-17 from two, removing Kaia. Fareed Ahmad Malik took the other wicket, dismissing Wessly Madhevere.