AFG vs ZIM 3rd T20I Results

5:34 PM IST The captain of Zimbabwe - Sikandar Raza reflects on the defeat. He says the new-ball bowling has been fantastic, but the batting needs work if Zimbabwe are to move forward. He identifies two areas, handling swing and handling spin, and notes that both have troubled them. Every team these days comes armed with swing bowlers and mystery spinners, he adds, so there is no avoiding either problem. On the bright side, he feels the seam department has done really well. When asked about the bowling unit, Raza readily agrees and picks out Brad Evans for special praise. He points out that Evans does his job as first change, bowling the second over and sometimes a Powerplay over as well. The bowlers, he says, are building something, but they have carried the side, and the batting has let them down. Admits that the positives are there, though the lessons outweigh them. On being bundled out for 79, Raza says Zimbabwe have been here before, and he insists he will never give up on the boys for as long as he plays. He knows how hard they work, and he believes bad days like these are important for personal growth. What he wants from them is to learn from a poor game or a poor tour and not waste the opportunity every time they pull on the jersey. Admits that if Zimbabwe turn up for the next tour and repeat the same mistakes, that is where the real problem begins. Much of the onus is on the players, he adds, but he promises to help them find what he is certain they have in them. Looking ahead to the Test series, Raza reveals that the red-ball group has been training well with the coaching staff, including the six players who were not part of the white-ball squad. Adds that the rest of the boys have also had a decent look at the wicket and the conditions. With the Test starting in the morning, he expects an evenly contested series, provided everybody is fit.

5:33 PM IST Tests coming up - And that wraps up the T20I series. Afghanistan were the better side in every department, and Zimbabwe still cannot find a way past them. Afghanistan have never lost a bilateral T20I series against Zimbabwe ever, and with a 3-0 sweep, they keep that record intact. Ibrahim Zadran receives the trophy from the dignitaries and heads back to his teammates, who are waiting for their skipper. Then the whole squad gathers for the photographs, beaming with joy, with debutant Abdullah Tarakhail given the honour of holding the silverware. Zimbabwe had their moments, bright patches that hinted at what they are capable of, but the full package never arrived and Afghanistan simply had more answers. It leaves them with only two wins over the Afghans, the first in 2019 and the second in 2024. Nobody is packing bags just yet. Both sides stay put in Sharjah, where the focus now swings to a two-match Test series. The series opener begins on Thursday, 5th November, with the first ball set to be bowled at 5 am GMT. Our buildup starts in advance, so do join us for that as well. Until then, take care, cheers!

5:33 PM IST The victorious skipper of Afghanistan - Ibrahim Zadran says he is delighted with the 3-0 series victory, crediting the players for maintaining their energy, discipline and commitment throughout. He adds that the team focused on having a positive mindset, showing intent and giving their 100% rather than worrying about the result, trusting their process to deliver the desired outcome. He is particularly pleased with Ijaz Ahmadzai's contribution, highlighting his back-to-back half-centuries. Zadran says he had been following Ijaz's performances in domestic cricket and the Shpageeza League, where he had shown good form and ability. He feels Ijaz only needed an opportunity to prove himself and has made the most of it, adding that there are several players waiting for their chances and the team is trying to give them those opportunities. Reflecting on the team's overall performance, Zadran says there were plenty of positives, particularly the improvement in their start in the final game and the way the middle order delivered through Azmatullah Omarzai and Ijaz, before Rashid Khan provided the finishing touches. While he acknowledges that the top order struggled in the first two games, he remains confident that the batters will assess the shortcomings and work on them, having produced good starts in previous outings. He believes getting the middle-order contribution right is particularly important against stronger opposition and will help Afghanistan avoid difficulties in the future.

5:20 PM IST PLAYER OF THE SERIES - Azmatullah Omarzai takes home the award for his all-round display throughout the series. Omarzai says that he is very happy to be getting the Player of the Series award and it is the first time he has got it. Adds that he wants to dedicate this award to his big brother, who has supported him and is also his personal coach. Azmat mentions that he enjoys his batting a lot and his favourite shot is to go over mid off. On the celebration going wrong, he says that they wanted to have some fun, and Sediqullah Atal was trying to lift him but he fell down, and his back is hurting now. On the upcoming Afghanistan Premier League, he expresses that it is a great opportunity for the youngsters in the country, who will be able to rub shoulders with some quality players and high-ranked teams, which will only help them grow further in their careers.

5:17 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - It's Noor Ahmad who deservedly gets the accolade for his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is. He never really allowed Zimbabwe to make any sort of comeback in the game. He starts by thanking the Almighty and says it feels very special to perform well for his country at this stage. He notes that it has been a long time since such a performance came, but expresses gratitude for it. On playing under Rashid Khan's mentorship, Noor reveals that the two have been chatting a lot, especially during this series, working on several aspects that have paid off in many games. However, he admits he is still not at his best, saying his form is at 60-70 percent and there is more work to be done. He adds that he is grateful to have Rashid as his teammate. Noor also reveals that before his last wicket, he was advised to bowl from further back. Says he applied that advice, and it worked. On missing out on a possible hat-trick, Noor admits he should have bowled his best ball on the hat-trick delivery. However, he reveals he was struggling with a hamstring issue, which kept him from being at his 100 percent. He hopes to give his full effort next time.

5:07 PM IST ... The post-match Presentation ...