Najibullah Zadran slammed a six off the second ball of the final over to give Afghanistan a six-wicket win against Zimbabwe on Saturday after a thrilling run chase in the first of three Twenty20 internationals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The dramatic climax seemed unlikely with 10 overs gone as the tourists scored 83 without loss after Zimbabwe posted 159-8 in 20 overs at Harare Sports Club.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ryan Burl then wreaked havoc with the ball, capturing the wickets of openers Hazratullah Zazai (45) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (33) and Usman Ghani (1) within six balls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A leading edge from Gurbaz led to a catch for wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva. Zazai followed one ball caught by Sikandar Raza at long on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Burl claimed his third wicket off the final ball of the over as another Chakabva catch ended the Ghani's two-ball innings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Batting at number five, Zadran stopped the rot but took time to regain the initiative and the tourists needed 60 runs from the final five overs to triumph.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The run rate gradually increased and when Blessing Muzurabani stepped up to bowl the final over, the Afghans required eight runs, and Zadran wasted no time getting them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He hit two off the first delivery, then walloped his third six of a 25-ball stand to lift the Afghans to 160-4 and continue a successful tour after a 3-0 victory in a one-day international series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Zadran, a 30-year-old left-hand batsman, struck two fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 41-minute stay at the crease.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, middle-order batsman Raza top scored with 45 for Zimbabwe on a hard, brown-grass, batting-friendly track.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Opener Wessley Madhevere (32) and Regis Chakabva (29) were the other Zimbabweans to make significant contributions while six of their teammates failed to reach 10.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Debutant Najit Masood, a right-arm medium pacer, was the most impressive Afghan bowler taking three wickets, including those of Raza and Chakabva.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan-born Raza, whose T20 batting average is a modest 13.4, was out to a brilliant catch at third man by Hazratullah Zazai having faced 31 deliveries and struck three fours and two sixes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A googly from Rashid Khan spelt the end of Madhevere while a leading edge from Chakabva was caught at mid-off by captain Mohammad Nabi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n