Afghanistan sweep Zimbabwe 3-0 as Noor Ahmad takes 5 for 13 and Zimbabwe fold for 79 in Sharjah
Noor Ahmad's 5 for 13 bowled Zimbabwe out for 79 and Afghanistan won by seven wickets with 71 balls left in Sharjah. A two-Test series starts on November 5.
At a glance
- Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the third T20I in Sharjah on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to complete a 3-0 series win.
- Noor Ahmad took 5 for 13 in 3.3 overs as Zimbabwe were all out for 79 in 14.3 overs; Ryan Burl top-scored with 30.
- Afghanistan reached 81 for 3 in 8.1 overs, with Ibrahim Zadran unbeaten on 25 and Azmatullah Omarzai on 18.
- Omarzai, who hit 116 off 50 balls in the second game, was named Player of the Series. A two-Test series starts on November 5.
Afghanistan completed a 3-0 Twenty20 series sweep of Zimbabwe in Sharjah on Sunday, November 1, 2026, winning the final match by seven wickets with 71 balls to spare. Left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad did the damage with 5 for 13 in 3.3 overs as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 79.
The chase lasted just 8.1 overs. Afghanistan had already won the series in the second game, but this was by some way the most one-sided of the three.
Zimbabwe 13 for 3 before the fourth over was out
Afghanistan chose to bowl and struck on consecutive deliveries across the first two overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi removed one opener and Azmatullah Omarzai the other, sending back Innocent Kaia and Brian Bennett. Abdullah Tarakhail then took the biggest wicket of all, dismissing captain Sikandar Raza, who had scored a hundred three days earlier. Zimbabwe were 13 for 3 in the fourth over.
Ryan Burl was the only batter who fought back. He hit 30, the top score of the innings, before Abdollah Ahmadzai trapped him lbw. From there Noor ran through the middle and lower order, and the innings ended in the 15th over.
The numbers from Sharjah
| Third T20I | Score | Overs | Top performer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 79 all out | 14.3 | Ryan Burl 30 |
| Afghanistan | 81 for 3 | 8.1 | Ibrahim Zadran 25 not out |
| Best bowling | Noor Ahmad 5 for 13 | 3.3 | Afghanistan |
| Result | Afghanistan won by 7 wickets | 71 balls left |
A short chase, and three quick wickets
Mohammad Akram opened the chase in a hurry, racing to 14 off five balls before Blessing Muzarabani removed him. Sediqullah Atal kept up the pace with 20 off 14 until Ernest Masuku had him out. Masuku then dismissed Noor ul Rahman as well, which gave Zimbabwe a brief opening.
It did not last. Ibrahim Zadran (25 not out) and Omarzai (18 not out) saw Afghanistan home without further trouble.
How the series was won
The closing rout came after a far closer second match, in which both sides had a centurion.
| Date | Match | Result | Key performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 27 | First T20I | Afghanistan by 37 runs | All-round display from Rashid Khan |
| October 29 | Second T20I | Afghanistan by 19 runs | Omarzai 116 off 50; Raza 106 off 56 in defeat |
| November 1 | Third T20I | Afghanistan by 7 wickets | Noor 5 for 13 |
Omarzai, who also took an early wicket on Sunday and finished unbeaten with the bat, was named Player of the Series.
For Afghanistan, the sweep shows they have spin options beyond Rashid Khan. Noor's return was the kind of performance that gives a captain real choice on slow pitches in the UAE, where Afghanistan regularly play their home series.
For Zimbabwe, the batting is the concern. They had Raza's hundred to lean on in the second match, and when he fell early on Sunday, only Burl offered real resistance.
Red-ball cricket next
The two sides now switch formats immediately. A two-match Test series starts on Thursday, November 5, which leaves only three days to change from a T20 mindset to five-day cricket.
