Afghanistan Thrash Zimbabwe by 7 Wickets to Win UAE ODI Tri-Series in Sharjah

Afghanistan completed a perfect tournament in Sharjah. On Friday, October 23, they bowled Zimbabwe out for 169 and chased it down with 93 balls to spare, winning the UAE ODI Tri-Series final by seven wickets and finishing the competition unbeaten. It was the latest statement of intent from a side that has quietly become one of world cricket's most dangerous 50-over units — clinical with the ball, calm with the bat, and ruthless when the trophy is on the line.

The script had everything. Ibrahim Zadran's unbeaten 70 carried the chase, Rashid Khan spun his way into the record books, Mohammad Nabi brought up 300 international wickets, and Zimbabwe's 40-year-old captain Sikandar Raza made history of his own with a fighting 68. Player of the Match: Ibrahim Zadran. Player of the Series: Rashid Khan (11 wickets). For the full ball-by-ball record, see the official ESPNcricinfo match report.

The Bowling: Death by Spin, Again

Zimbabwe's decision to bat first unraveled inside the powerplay. Fazalhaq Farooqi cleaned up Tadiwanashe Marumani, Azmatullah Omarzai — the world's No. 1 ODI all-rounder — produced a caught-and-bowled out of nowhere to remove Brian Bennett, and Farooqi struck again to leave Zimbabwe 26 for 3 in the seventh over. Bilal Sami edged out Brendan Taylor, and the visitors were 55 for 4 with their top order back in the shed.

Then came the lone resistance. Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe's 40-year-old captain, dragged his side back with a 60-run stand alongside Ryan Burl (31) and brought up his 27th ODI fifty — three fours, three sixes, and at 40-plus, the first man of his age to make a fifty in an ODI tournament final. But Nabi broke the stand, stumped Madhevere to bring up his 300th international wicket, and Rashid finished the job: Brad Evans trapped lbw, Newman Nyamhuri bowled, and Raza himself caught at long-off by Ibrahim Zadran — almost immediately after depositing Rashid for six. Muzarabani and Masakadza's stubborn 32-run last-wicket stand only delayed the inevitable.

The Chase: Zadran's Composure

Afghanistan's reply was a masterclass in chasing small totals. Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 36 gave it early momentum, and then Ibrahim Zadran and captain Rahmat Shah (43) put on 82 for the third wicket to drain every last drop of tension from the evening. Zadran's unbeaten 70 off 96 balls — his second half-century of the tournament — was the definition of control: no risks, no panic, boundaries when offered. Hashmatullah Shahidi struck the winning boundary in the 35th over with 93 balls still in the bank. Player of the Match, and never in doubt.

It is worth saying what this performance confirms. Afghanistan did not just win the final — they went unbeaten through the entire tri-series, which also featured Bangladesh. Their fielding has caught up with their bowling (Allah Ghazanfar's stunning one-handed catch in the final was doing the rounds on social media within minutes), and their top three now bat with a calm that was missing even two years ago.

What It Means — 2027 World Cup and Beyond

This is the part that should worry the big teams. Afghanistan's last 18 months have been a steady climb in white-ball cricket, and a tournament win — with the senior core of Rashid, Nabi, Gurbaz and Shahidi all firing — lands right at the start of the build-up cycle toward the 2027 ODI World Cup. Spin wins ICC tournaments in the subcontinent-adjacent conditions, and no side on the planet defends small totals better right now.

For Zimbabwe, the picture is different but not bleak. Raza's fight in the final, Burl's promise and a young bowling attack that has moments — Nyamhuri took two wickets in the final — show a side rebuilding with intent. But the gulf between them and a settled Afghanistan remains wide: 169 all out, then a chase completed with 93 balls to spare, tells its own story.