Hello and welcome to Cricketcountry’s live coverage of the 1st of the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Zimbabwe, who are coming off a 2-1 series win against Ireland last week, are high on confidence and would like to continue the winning form and momentum in this very series against Afghanistan as well and would love to see this series win convincingly as well. Afghanistan, on the other hand, who had a tough outing in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup earlier this year, would like to give bthemselves a fresh start. Who will draw first blood in the opening game? Catch all the updates here. LIVE SCORECARD: Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 2015, 1st ODI at Bulawayo
LIVE CRICKET SCORE: Afghanistan 14/0 after 4 overs.Noor Ali Zadran 8(15), Nawroz Mangal 6(12). Afghanistan has got a good start as the openers have already started to hit freely , three boundaries already.
Match referee Dev Govindjee was out in the middle with the skippers. Afghanistan won the toss and their captain Asghar Stanikzai elected to bat first.
After three tour matches, Zimbabwe take on Afghanistan in the first One-Day International (ODI) at the Queens Sports Club at Bulawayo. Afghanistan were dominant in the tour matches against a second-string Zimbabwe team and will hope that they can continue their run of form in the five-match ODI series as well. Newly-appointed Afghanistan coach Inzaman ul Haq would hope that his inputs have made a difference to the team and they can execute them in this match. Taking an early lead is always crucial in a series and both teams would not like to miss out on such an opportunity.
Squads:
Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (c), Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva, Wellington Masakadza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Taurai Muzarabani, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams.
Afghanistan: Asghar Stanikzai (c), Aftab Alam, Amir Hamza, Dawlat Zadran, Fareed Ahmad, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mirwais Ashraf, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Najibullah Zadran, Nawroz Mangal, Noor Ali Zadran, Samiullah Shenwari, Shafiqullah, Shapoor Zadran.