Afghanistan staged a commendable fightback against Zimbabwe on the opening day of the second Test in Sharjah. The Test showed early signs of being another bat-dominated contest when Zimbabwe piled on the runs in the first two sessions of the day with Innocent Kaia and Brendan Taylor making merry. However, debutant Naseer Khan Maroofkhil overturned his own fortunes to trigger a collapse.
Both the teams were forced to make changes for this contest. Craig Ervine and Newman Nyamhuri, Zimbabwe's heroes in the drawn fixture, were ruled out whereas Afghanistan made three changes to their XI. Kaia didn't take long to get going as Zimbabwe made a promising start. Ben Curran, who started off cautiously, drove Yamin Ahmadzai to get into his groove as the openers raised a fifty-run partnership for the opening wicket. Kaia then hammered a six and a four off Naseer and Curran cleared the ropes off the same bowler in his next over to put Afghanistan under the pump.
The debutant eventually had the last laugh, however, as he struck immediately after the lunch break to give his side a crucial breakthrough. Curran, who looked in solid touch, was trapped lbw for 44. Kaia, who had gone past fifty by then, continued to motor along and Taylor just continued from where he had left in the previous game. The veteran even hit Naseer for back-to-back boundaries to stamp his authority and slammed a massive six off Hashmatullah Shahidi. Zimbabwe put themselves in a strong position at the stroke of Tea with Kaia also making merry at the other end.
However, the tide changed in the final session as Afghanistan managed to crawl back. It was redemption time for Naseer who kept adding to his tally. Kaia missed out on a century when he failed to connect a sweep and was subsequently adjudged lbw. In his next over, Naseer got the big fish Brian Bennett who found the fielder at mid-wicket to depart for a duck. With three wickets in his kitty, Naseer caused more problems for Zimbabwe as he struck for the fourth time when Wessly Madhevere mistimed one. From 200/1, Zimbabwe found themselves in a spot of bother at 212/4.
Antum Naqvi then stemmed the rot for a brief period alongside Taylor. The 40-year-old, despite the procession at the other end, continued to bat in positive fashion and looked comfortable at the crease. Naqvi, who took 18 balls to get off the mark, broke the shackles with a six immediately after the final drinks break of the day but Ziaur Rahman Sharifi ended his stay by finding the outside edge. Afghanistan continued to use the old ball but their quest to fetch a few more late wickets were thwarted by bad light. Taylor, who missed out a second innings hundred in the previous Test because of a run-out, was stranded on 95 by stumps.
