Rashid spins Afghanistan to Test win over Zimbabwe

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has picked up his second 10-wicket haul in Test cricket to help his side beat Zimbabwe by six wickets for a series-levelling win in Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan chased down a target of 108 against the African nation in the final session of the second Test on Sunday to square the two-match series at 1-1.

The 22-year-old Rashid, Afghanistan's national hero who's become a global T20 star, picked up 7-137 in the second innings against Zimbabwe for a match-winning haul of 11-325 from a staggering 99.2 overs.

Playing their sixth Test, the Afghans posted 4-545, their highest-ever total, before captain Asghar Afghan declared their first innings.

That was built on the first double hundred by an Afghanistan player when Hashmatullah Shahidi scored 200 not out. The skipper made 164.

The Asian side seemed headed for quick revenge for losing inside two days in the opening Test when they dismissed Zimbabwe for 287 in the first innings and reduced them to 7-142 in the second after enforcing the follow-on.

But Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams, who remained unbeaten on 151, and Donald Tiripano showed fight to add 187 for the eighth wicket and help Zimbabwe avoid an innings defeat.

Rashid, who had taken 11 wickets against Bangladesh in 2019, broke the resistance with his sixth wicket of the innings and he denied Tiripano a maiden Test hundred when he trapped him lbw for 95 shortly before the lunch break.

Rashid also then removed number 11 batsman Victor Nyauchi, before he had scored, as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 365 in their second innings. 

This article originally appeared on Cricket.com.au

Photo: Cricket.com.au