Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe in Sharjah: 72-run Test win seals 1-0 series, T20I win by seven wickets

Afghanistan won a two-match Test series 1-0 in Sharjah and took the third T20I of a three-match series against Zimbabwe by seven wickets, in a 2026 UAE swing that also includes the ODI tri-series final between the two sides. Followers of the Zimbabwe national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team match scorecard had a finished result to track almost every few days.

Every fixture was staged at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The first Test began on November 5, with Zimbabwe captain Brian Bennett winning the toss and opting to bat; the live card read 0/0 in the early session. Afghanistan required just two wickets on Day 5 of the second Test to win, and when they fell the posted margin was 72 runs, enough for Afghanistan to take the series 1-0.

Bennett’s toss decision in the first Test put Zimbabwe at the crease first, a choice that made Afghanistan’s attack work for every run on a day when the card sat goalless for long stretches. The second Test mattered more. It turned entirely on two dismissals on the final morning, and the 72-run margin that followed confirmed Afghanistan as series winners.

Test series: two wickets and a 72-run margin

The contest was decided on the fifth day. Afghanistan needed two wickets to claim the second Test, and once those fell the winning margin was posted at 72 runs. Zimbabwe’s early sessions in the first Test, goalless at 0/0, suggest neither side found rhythm quickly, but the match that counted was the second.

T20Is and the ODI tri-series final

Afghanistan led the three-match T20I series 1-0 going into the second meeting, and Yahoo Sports listed them as 1.27 pre-match favourites. The series was settled in the third T20I, where a win by seven wickets meant Afghanistan reached the target with three wickets in hand. The Zimbabwe national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team scorecard recorded that result. The ODI tri-series final then produced the same two teams at the same ground, with News18 tracking the match live.

The margins are not equal units, but both were decisive: 72 runs in a five-day game and seven wickets in a 20-over game, each enough to close out its contest at the same venue within the same November.

What the rest of 2026 holds for both sides

Afghanistan is also in action at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where the ICC reported Zimbabwe and West Indies staying unbeaten while Afghanistan signed off strong. That World Cup schedule also carries an Afghanistan vs India T20 in 2026. Zimbabwe’s own calendar is equally full: Cricbuzz lists both India and Bangladesh touring Zimbabwe in 2026, giving the side a busy home summer after its Sharjah spell.

For viewers, the T20I leg was streamable through Afghanistan’s cricket board, which streams the series, while India Today and News18 carried written scorecards across the Tests and T20Is. The ODI tri-series final is the one result on this slate without a completed card.

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Arjun Nair

Arjun Nair writes about technology, artificial intelligence, gadgets, apps and emerging digital trends. He focuses on explaining new technologies in a simple, practical way and helping readers understand how they could affect everyday life.

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