Zimbabwe have also fielded the same XI that lost the first game by 48 runs
Afghanistan have named an unchanged playing XI and opted for first strike after winning the toss in the second T20I against Zimbabwe – who also fielded the same XI as in the first game – in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Afghanistan rode on half-centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Asghar Afghan to put up 198 for 5 in the first T20I before restricting Zimbabwe to 150 for 7, with Rashid Khan taking 3 for 28.
Incidentally, it’s the 50th T20I appearance for Khan, who is just eight wickets away from becoming only the second bowler – after Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga – to get to the milestone of 100 wickets in the format. Between Malinga (107 T20I wickets) and Khan are Shahid Afridi (98) and Tim Southee (93).
There was still no sign of Gulbadin Naib and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, or Hamid Hassan, Waqar Salamkheil and Azmatullah Omarzai, the Afghanistan players whose arrival to the UAE have been delayed because of a “visa issue”.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Karim Janat, Asghar Afghan (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Usman Ghani, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rashid Khan, Amir Hamza, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Ahmed.
Zimbabwe: Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Tarisai Musakanda, Sean Williams (capt), Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Wesley Madhevere, Donald Tiripano, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava.