BULAWAYO: Rahmat Shah struck 139 to revive Afghanistan hopes of winning a series-deciding second Test against Zimbabwe before rain stopped play late on day three in Bulawayo on Saturday.

The experienced 31-year-old put on 132 for the seventh wicket with debutant Ismat Alam (64 not out) to turn a worrying overnight situation into a potential path to victory.

Afghanistan were 46-3 after day two at the Queens Sports Club, 40 runs behind having lost star batter and captain Hash­matullah Shahidi (13).

Much hinged on Rahmat, a double centurion in the drawn first Test, and he proved equal to the task as Afghanistan reached 291-7 by the close of play for a 205-run lead.

Rahmat faced 275 balls over two days, having come in at No. 3 with the tourists reeling at 18-2 in the southern city.

He performed patiently throughout, offering few chances to an increasingly frustrated Zimbabwe attack, and struck 14 fours in a 401-minute stand.

His innings ended shortly before the rain. A pacey, good length ball from the most successful Zimbabwe bowler, quick Blessing Muzarabani, beat Rahmat and he was trapped leg before.

Unbeaten Ismat followed the cautious approach of Rahmat, hitting four fours off 122 balls as he atoned for a first-innings duck.

Zia-ur-Rehman (6), Afsar Zazai (5) and Shahidullah Kamal (22) were the other Afghan batters to fall on day three, as both teams seek a first Test win since beating each other in 2021.

Brian Bennett caught Rehman at short fine leg, a brilliant catch by Dion Myers at backward point dismissed Zazai and a Shahidullah prod was snapped up by Takudzwanashe Kaitano at silly point.

Muzarabani (4-71) and fellow quick Richard Nga­r­­ava (2-47) fared best for Zimbabwe on a surface that has become batter friendly after initially favo­uring the bowlers.

SCOREBOARD

AFGHANISTAN (1st Innings) 157

ZIMBABWE (1st Innings) 243

AFGHANISTAN (2nd Innings, overnight 46-3):

Abdul Malik c Nyamhuri b Muzarabani 1

Riaz Hassan c Gumbie b Muzarabani 11

Rahmat Shah lbw Muzarabani 139

Hashmatullah Shahidi b Raza 13

Zia-ur-Rehman c Bennett b Ngarava 6

Afsar Zazai c Myers b Ngarava 5

Shahidullah Kamal c Kaitano b Muzarabani 22

Ismat Alam not out 64

Rashid Khan not out 12

EXTRAS (B-10, LB-2, NB-1, W-5) 18

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 91overs) 291

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Malik), 2-18 (Riaz), 3-43 (Hashmatullah), 4-55 (Zia), 5-69 (Afsar), 6-136 (Shahidullah), 7-268 (Rahmat)

STILL TO BAT: Fareed Ahmed, Yamin Ahmadzai

BOWLING: Ngarava 19-4-47-2 (1w), Muzarabani 22-3-71-4 (2w, 1nb), Nyamhuri 14-2-55-0 (1w), Raza 24-3-65-1, Bennett 12-1-41-0

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2025