Rashid Khan’s Heroics: How Afghanistan’s Star Spinner Turned the Tide Against Zimbabwe in the Second Test
CricketPanditRashid Khan rose to the occasion when Afghanistan needed him most, as Zimbabwe found themselves on the verge of losing the second Test and the series to the visitors. Rashid dismantled the Zimbabwean middle order with a six-wicket haul, and if it weren’t for Craig Ervine’s determined half-century, Afghanistan might have already wrapped things up. Nevertheless, the Zimbabwean veteran has extended the series into the final day, with his team requiring 73 runs for victory—a challenging task with only two wickets remaining.
Starting the day with a lead of 205, Afghanistan added crucial runs before Blessing Muzarabani dismissed Rashid. However, Ismat Alam held firm and brought up a fantastic century, surprising Zimbabwe. His performance pushed the lead to 277, a remarkable achievement considering Afghanistan had conceded a first-innings lead of 86.
Zimbabwe began their chase positively, with the openers establishing a solid foundation through a 43-run partnership. But once that partnership was broken, Afghanistan struck at regular intervals to regain control of the match. Rashid claimed the important wicket of Ben Curran for 38 and quickly added two more to his tally, leaving the hosts at 99 for 4. Sikandar Raza then partnered with Ervine to stabilize the innings as Zimbabwe gradually recovered.
Known for his flamboyant strokes in shorter formats, Raza displayed impressive discipline in this Test, following up his first-innings fifty with a patient 38 that shifted the momentum. However, his dismissal, caught at cover, triggered a collapse. Sean Williams fell to a slog sweep that resulted in his wicket, and just two balls later, Rashid struck again, sending Brian Bennett back to the pavilion.
Ervine barely had a moment to absorb the chaos at the other end when Zia-ur-Rehman struck again, further deepening Zimbabwe’s troubles with another wicket. In a flash, the score shifted from 157 for 4 to 178 for 8, as Afghanistan moved closer to a remarkable victory. Taking charge, Ervine found the boundary twice against Rashid and then launched a six off Rehman. Meanwhile, Richard Ngarava held his ground at the other end, and Ervine’s bold batting led him to reach his fifty before bad light brought the day’s play to a close.
