Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 1st T20I Match Preview

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Match Details

• Date and Time: December 11: 11:30 am GMT / 1:30 pm local/ 5:00 pm IST
• Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare
• Live Stream: Fancode

Harare Sports Club Pitch Report

The Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe features a well-balanced pitch that supports both batting and bowling strategies. On sunny days, the wicket dries out quickly, providing batters with a strong opportunity to score runs early in the match. As the game progresses, spinners find more assistance from the surface, enhancing their effectiveness. However, when the skies turn overcast, the conditions favor seam bowlers. The added moisture in the air and on the pitch increases ball movement, presenting significant challenges for batters.

Zimbabwe Team News

Zimbabwe is looking to bounce back after losing their recent T20I series against Pakistan. They have a strong squad, with Sikandar Raza leading the team as captain. Top run-scorers for Zimbabwe include S Raza with 221 runs in 5 innings and T Marumani with 140 runs in 5 innings. R Ngarva and T Gwandu are the top wicket-takers for Zimbabwe, with 6 and 5 wickets in 5 matches, respectively.

Afghanistan Team News

Afghanistan is coming off a loss against South Africa in their recent T20I match. They have a strong squad, with Rashid Khan leading the team as captain. Top run-scorers for Afghanistan include R Gurbaz with 114 runs in 5 innings and S Atal with 92 runs in 5 innings. Naveen ul Haq and Rashid Khan are the top wicket-takers for Afghanistan, with 9 and 8 wickets in 5 matches, respectively.

Head-to-Head Record

• Matches: 8
• ZIM: 1
• AFG: 7
• NR: 0

Probable Playing XI

Zimbabwe: Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Ryan Burl, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza, Wesley Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Trevor Gwandu, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen ul Haq

Fantasy Tips

• Wicket-Keeper: R Gurbaz, T Marumani
• Batters: H Zazai, B Bennett, S Atal
• Bowlers: R Khan, Naveen ul Haq, R Ngarva, T Gwandu
• All-Rounders: S Raza, A Omarzai, M Nabi

Prediction

Afghanistan is expected to win this match, given their recent form and strong squad. However, Zimbabwe has the potential to cause an upset if they can capitalize on their strengths and exploit Afghanistan's weaknesses.