Afghanistan 157 and 46 for 3 (Rahmat 18*, Mazarbani 2-17) Trail Zimbabwe 243 (Irvine 75, Raza 61, Williams 49, Rashid 4-94) by 40 runs

Zimbabwe and Afghanistan wrestled for advantage on a day of fast-paced Test cricket in Bulawayo, with the hosts narrowly ahead.

Two hundred and eighty-three runs scored and 13 wickets fell on the second day where the momentum between the two teams was seen, leaving the Test poised delicately.

There was plenty of space in the pitch for the bowlers in the morning and Zimbabwe started to show a lot of discipline. But Jewelward Gumbi’s patience did not last long as he edged Fareed Ahmed as Abdul Malik took a fine catch at second slip.

Yamin Ahmedzai then bowled Takudzwanashe Kitano down the leg-side to claim two wickets in two overs.

Just as Ben Curran started to gain momentum with two boundaries off both fast balls from Afghanistan, Farid trapped him with an un-decker, with Curran playing on the wrong line.

Afghanistan put immediate pressure on Zimbabwe’s No.5 Dion Myers, who was promoted because Williams had been sidelined with a back injury since Thursday. With a catch at mid-on, Myers opted to get out hard. He drove Ahmedzai down the ground for a boundary, but failed to cut it short and wide to leave Afghanistan at 41 for 4.

It could have been five off the next ball when Farid pulled an outside edge off Raza – who was on seven – only to see a regulation catch go down at first slip. A drop by Riyaz Hasan proved costly. Raza Ahmed went for consecutive boundaries on Zai – a beautiful on-drive followed by a cut through point.

Raza and Irvine soon added 71 runs for the fourth wicket, relying mostly on singles, with Raza hitting the occasional boundary. Raza, playing his first Test since 2021, completed his fifty in the second over after lunch by driving Rashid Khan through cover for two runs.

Raza had another slice of luck in the next over as he miscued a pull to the left of deep square leg, but Ismat Alam let the ball slip through his hands, frustrating Farid for the second time of the day.

Raza, however, was able to add another eight runs to his total as Heshmatullah brought Shahidi Zia-ur-Rehman into the attack. Rashid changed the ending, and Raza missed the first delivery against the left-arm spinner.

Rashid looked sharp at the other end as well, and soon had Brian Bennett caught behind the inside edge with a wrong-one. He did the trick again for Rashid when he knocked out Newman Nyamori.

Zimbabwe were still ten runs behind Afghanistan’s first innings total and Williams came in to bat at No. 9 and Irvine pulled Rashid and Ahmed Zai respectively for two boundaries in the next two overs to give Zimbabwe the lead.

With Williams struggling with his back, Ahmedzai hit him with short balls and nearly created a catch and bowl chance in the 52nd over, but the ball fell short. One ball later, Williams took another short ball and crashed it through midwicket, but in the process fell to his knees clutching his back.

Williams then decided to go on the attack, driving Ahmedzai through mid-off twice in one over before luring Rashid to mid-on. In Ahmedzai’s next over, Williams slugged him for back-to-back boundaries. Irvine, happy to play second fiddle at the other end, reached his half-century in the last over before tea.

Zimbabwe got off to a positive start in the final session, with Williams hitting Zia for the fourth boundary at mid-off in the second over after tea. But in the very next over, Rashid was misjudged to spin as Williams spotted him to turn leg-side. There was barely any audible noise but Rashid’s catch-back appeal was loud. However, the umpire was not convinced, but Williams went on to bat on 49 runs.

Zimbabwe coach Justin Simmons spoke of Williams after the day’s play, saying, “Obviously the medical staff have been working really hard to get him on the park today, they did a fantastic job there, and we need him. To be continued.” ‘Back problem.

“It’s going to be tough, he’s in a lot of pain, but he’s shown great courage to go out there and he’s shown what he’s all about and what it means to him to play for Zimbabwe. It’s his business.

“I can’t look too far ahead, obviously we go step by step with him. We’re just trying to get him in the best possible physical condition going into this Test.”

After play resumed after a brief rain break, Irvine tried to strike, but Ngarawa persuaded his captain to take a single off the second ball of the 71st over, but was bowled over by a length ball from Ahmedzai who Less remained.

Irvine took Rashid in the next over, first coming down the pitch to drive him down the ground and then hitting back-to-back sixes over square leg.

However, Rashid’s next over saw Aaron hole out at deep backward square leg in another attempt at a slog sweep. Zimbabwe now had a lead of 86 runs in the first innings.

Afghanistan’s second innings started brilliantly. Abdul Malik flashed a full delivery and drove it to gully where Karan dropped it, before a vociferous appeal to catch back from Nigarawa, who edged the ball near the outside edge of the ball, was caught. Rejected.

In the next over, Mazarbani pulled a crucial edge from Malik, the ball drifting towards mid-on. In the eighth over, Mazarbani struck again, as he edged Hasan Riaz to take him to 18 for 2.

Shahidi and Rahmat Shah, who scored a double century in the last match, again tried to stop the bowlers but Raza gave Zimbabwe a late boost with a beautiful off-break that penetrated the pitch at middle before going through the outside edge and off. I crashed. Stump, removing the Afghanistan captain in the last over of the day.