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Twitter Reactions: Rashid Khan’s six-for leaves Zimbabwe with all to do on final day

January 6, 2025 / 2 days ago
Twitter Reactions: Rashid Khan's six-for leaves Zimbabwe with all to do on final day

Twitter Reactions: Rashid Khan’s six-for leaves Zimbabwe with all to do on final day (Photo Source: Twitter/X)

Debutant batting all-rounder, Ismat Alam, resumed Day 4 of the second Test with Afghanistan (AFG) aiming to put up a sizeable total on the board. The field had opened up and it seemed as if the Afghans were on their way to setting a decent target.

A surprise bouncer by Zimbabwe (ZIM) pacer Blessing Muzarabani brought about the dismissal of Rashid Khan, as the whippy right-arm quick picked up his first five-wicket haul in Tests. Nailing a pull off Richard Ngarava in the 101st over of the innings, Ismat moved into the nineties, becoming the highest-scorer on debut for Afghanistan. The 22-year-old finally got to the coveted landmark with a single towards long-on, in what was an innings to laud for the sheer perseverance on display.

Afghanistan’s second innings ended shortly after. Ismat was Muzarabani’s sixth of the innings. Shortly after, Richard Ngarava picked up the final wicket of the innings. 278 was the target in front of Zimbabwe. The openers started off quite well. Everything was going according to plan until Joylord Gumbie’s reverse sweep was pouched by the fielder at first slip to provide the visitors with their first dismissal.

Gumbie’s opening partner, Ben Curran, was looking set to register his second half-century in his second Test but was undone by a beauty by Rashid Khan. Takudzwanashe Kaitano, who got out for a silver duck in the first innings, was the star all-rounder’s second victim. Dion Myer was rapped on the pads by Rashid, who was his 400th international wicket.

Top-scorer of the first innings, Craig Ervine, and Sikandar Raza, looked quite comfortable at the crease. Raza was on 38 when an aerial shot was plucked out at mid-off, leaving Zimbabwe five-down. The 59th over of the run-chase was when the momentum gravitated towards Afghanistan. Sean Williams and Brian Bennett had their timber disturbed with Rashid running riot.

Zia-ur-Rehman picked up his second wicket of the innings to leave Zimbabwe with only two wickets in the bank. From thereon, Ervine farmed the strike alongside enhancing his rate of run-scoring. The play came to a premature end due to poor light. The final day promises to be an intriguing one, with 73 runs required for the hosts to secure a victory for the ages.

Check out how X reacted to Day 4 of the second Test between ZIM and AFG: 

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