HARARE: Afghanistan veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi scored seven from three balls in the final at Harare Sports Club to deliver a three-wicket T20I win over Zimbabwe on Saturday and a 2-1 series victory.
Nabi hit a four off the first ball, followed by a two and a single in a tense finish as the tourists followed up a 50-run triumph on Friday.
Nabi finished unbeaten with 24 – the second best Afghan batsman after another all-rounder, Azmatullah Omarzai, who made 34 after taking two wickets.
Zimbabwe posted 127 in 19.5 overs and Afghanistan 128-7 with three balls to spare as they won a sixth consecutive T20 series against the southern African country.
“In the middle of our innings, we lost a few wickets cheaply, which put pressure on us,” Nabi told reporters.
“But I managed to control my nerves and that gave me the confidence to go ahead and score the series-winning runs.
“The next step is the one-day international series and this wicket is not easy to judge. The pitch in the first two games was better – today it was up and down.”
Afghan captain Rashid Khan won a third successive toss, but after batting first in the previous matches, opted to bowl in the series decider.
Khan scored 4-27 for Afghanistan while opener Brian Bennett scored for Zimbabwe with 31, including four fours.
Afghanistan fought back in response, losing four wickets for 44, before a 48-run fifth-wicket stand between Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib (22) tipped the scales towards the visiting team.
From then on, the tourists looked the most likely winners, but when Omarzai was caught and bowled by Sikandar Raza with 13 balls remaining, there was a glimmer of hope for the home team.
But Naib dashed those hopes with his 18-ball knock, which included three fours.
The batsmen struggled as neither team managed to score a six, while Zimbabwe hit 11 fours – two more than Afghanistan.
The teams now play a three-match one-day international series in Harare, starting on Tuesday, and then two Tests in Bulawayo.
