ZIM VS AFG - 5th ODI, Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe, 2017

Stunning win for Afghanistan. The last wicket fell to a catch in the slip, in what was a T20-like target, and is symptomatic of Zimbabwe's plight. Nonetheless, good fight from the hosts to get back in the series, something that was visible in the number of spectators who had turned up today. End of a pretty competitive series, although today's game belies that. Join us back for cricket. Take care, ta-ta!

***

Asghar Stanikzai - captain, Afghanistan: "This is the third ODI series when we beat a full member nation. It's big history for Afghanistan. Last two games, we didn't play our natural game. Today we did. The morale is very high and will be good for the (upcoming) Ireland series. The groundsmen worked hard." Then goes to thank the people of Afghanistan in his native language.

Graeme Cremer - captain, Zimbabwe: "We came too hard with the bat too early on. We had to take it deep. It was almost like a T20 game, when you back yourself to chase it down. It was a good fight to get back in the series. We were staring down the barrel. Credit to Afghanistan; they batted well today. Lot of positives. Lot of decent individual performances but we need to string them together and become better as a team."

Rahmat Shah - Player of the Match: The advice given by the coach and captain was to play till the 40th over. I did my job, playing ground shots. We have so many other batsmen who hit the big shots, so I had to play a stabilizing role. (translated)

Chris Mpofu: "The environment in the team gives you the push. All the hard work is starting to pay up. If you give something, you get something back. Whatever job you get, you utilize it to your best ability; that's what I tried to do. If you bowl one pace, you can get lined up. So I tried to change my pace."

***

05:20pm local: A big win for Afghanistan rounds up their third series win in Zimbabwe. The series was nicely poised at 2-2, with hosts boasting of all the momentum with two back-to-back wins. The Harare Sports Club was choked with people, only for Zimbabwe to yield to Afghanistan. And rains. And how! After Afghanistan's 253, rains arrived to delay the second innings and the revised target for Zimbabwe happened to be 161 off 22 overs, something which proved too tall. Dawlat Zadran and Amir Hamza ran riot at the top of the order, Zimbabwe panicked and lost the rest of the wickets to brain fog.

Nabi to Richard Ngarava, out Caught by Rashid Khan!! Massive win for Afghanistan who win the series 3-2. This ball slides from round the wicket and kicks up, taking the outside edge to slip. Richard Ngarava c Rashid Khan b Nabi 0(4)

Nabi to Richard Ngarava, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Nabi to Richard Ngarava, no run, slogs across the line. The length's not there; scoots under the bat with some away turn

Nabi to Cremer, 1 run, darted shorter seeing Cremer shimmy but he's able to adjust and wrist a single round the corner

Nabi to Cremer, 2 runs, flatter but he plays it so well. Makes room and takes full toll of it with a cut through cover-point, say

Nabi to Cremer, no run, slowish from round the wicket, blocked into the leg-side

Rashid Khan to Richard Ngarava, no run, flatter legbreak that raps the pad in front of leg-stump but might have been going down

Rashid Khan to Richard Ngarava, no run, googly on a length. Good bounce that Ngarava uses to cut, but finds the man at cover-point

A slip for Rashid Khan

Richard Ngarava, left handed bat, comes to the crease

Rashid Khan to Mpofu, out Bowled!! Zimbabwe nine down. Was shaping for the big slog, then read the googly off the pitch, tried to close the gap between bat and pad with a hurried forward defence, but couldn't. Mpofu b Rashid Khan 3(7)

Rashid Khan to Mpofu, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!