Afghanistan under-19s won the first of their four Youth One-Day International (YODI) matches against Zimbabwe, at the Greater Noida Sports Complex ground outside the Indian capital New Delhi.
The Zimbabwe under-19 side is in India for matches to help with their preparations for the 2016 International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Cricket World Cup, which will be held in Bangladesh from the 27th of January to the 14th of February.
Afghanistan under-19s won the toss and chose to field.
The Zimbabwe batsmen found left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman difficult to contend with, and wickets fell at regular intervals. Number four Ryan Murray top scored with 45 runs off 62 balls, four of them fours, before he was caught by Ihsanullah off the bowling of Zia-ur-Rehman. The 17-year old spinner also claimed Zimbabwe under-19’s next best scorer, William Mashinge (37), whom he trapped leg before wicket.
Zia-ur-Rehman was easily the pick of the Afghanistan bowlers, finishing with seven wickets for 30 runs in 10 overs, and earning the player of the match award. Medium pacer Muslim Musa claimed two wickets for 34 runs in 8.3 overs.
Chasing 198, Afghanistan under-19s reached that in 40.1 overs, with five wickets gone.
Top contributors included Tariq Stanikzai with 52 runs from 73 balls, which included seven fours and one six, and Rashid Khan with a 36-ball 45.
For Zimbabwe under-19, Richard Ngarava got two wickets for 33 runs in nine overs. Captain Blessing Mavuta, Wesley Madhevere and Brendan Sly claimed one each.
The next YODI for Zimbabwe versus Afghanistan is on Tuesday, then Friday and Sunday.
The matches against Afghanistan in India build on the Zimbabwe 2016 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup preparations, which saw them touring Bangladesh last month for four YODIs. Hosts Bangladesh under-19s won all the four matches.
There will be 16 teams at the global 50-over youth cricket showcase, divided into four groups of four. Apart from the 10 Test playing countries, six Associate and Affiliate Member sides – Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland – will also participate after winning the various regional qualifying events.
Zimbabwe are in Group C, with England, Fiji and the West Indies.
Before the tournament, the Zimbabwe youths will have two more warm-up matches, which are part of the official tournament schedule.
They will play tournament hosts Bangladesh on the 23rd of January and then Namibia on the 25th, both in the port city of Chittagong.
Two days later, the tournament will open with the hosts playing South Africa at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong.
Zimbabwe’s first 2016 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup group match is against Fiji at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium on the 29th of January. The second one is a televised fixture against England at the ZACS on the 31st of January, and the third and final one is another televised match – against the West Indies at the same venue on the 2nd of February.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super League stage and the bottom two to the Plate Championship.
The final will be played at the home of Bangladesh cricket, the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, on the 14th of February.
Zimbabwe Squad
Blessing Mavuta (Captain), Trevor Chibvongodze, Jeremy Ives, Adam Keefe, Wesley Madhevere, Rugare Magarire, William Mashinge, Kundai Matigimu, Sydney Murombo, Ryan Murray, Richard Ngarava, Akshay Patel, Milton Shumba, Brendan Sly and Shaun Snyder.
