Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe 1st Test Predictions - Rahmat Shah to roast Zim attack

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 26 minutes ago

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Simon Lewis 26 minutes ago

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Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe 3-0 in their recent T20I series.
Afghanistan fought out a draw with Bangladesh in their last Test in October.
Zimbabwe's seamers will need to adapt quickly to the long-format conditions in Sharjah.

Afghanistan's Rahmat Shah scored 105* & 51 in his last Test match (Getty Images).

Afghanistan v Zimbabwe 1st Test Predictions

Afghanistan should start favourites in Sharjah as the hosts have recent experience at the venue in addition to a settled top order. Their comprehensive 3-0 T20I series win over Zimbabwe adds confidence, but they will not be able to rely on several white-ball match-winners in the longest format.

Afghanistan's Rahmat Shah struck an unbeaten 105 and 51 in the October draw with Bangladesh.
Afghanistan's Sediqullah Atal made a patient 111 in the fourth innings against Bangladesh.
Afghanistan seamer Mohammad Saleem took 4/82 in Bangladesh's first innings, then 2/69 in the sec-ond.
Afghanistan paceman Yamin Ahmadzai collected 3/79 in the same Test.
Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza scored 106 off 56 balls in the second T20I, although that does not establish his Test selection.
Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani remains an important strike-bowling candidate if selected in the Test side.

Head-to-Head

The two nations each have two wins and two defeat (plus one draw) from their last five Tests against one another. Zimbabwe won their one-off Test on home turf in October by an innings and 73 runs, but match conditions in Sharjah are sure to favour the host side.

Afghanistan Form

Afghanistan held Bangladesh to a draw in their October Test in Abu Dhabi. After Bangladesh amassed 346 and 372/7, Afghanistan replied with 240 and 346/8. Rahmat Shah and Sediqullah Atal supplied vital centuries across the two innings, while Mohammad Saleem was a leading wicket-taker.

Afghanistan then won their three T20Is against Zimbabwe by 37 runs, 19 runs and seven wickets, although the personnel for those fix-tures differ from the Test combination.

Zimbabwe Form

Zimbabwe arrive after a difficult white-ball week in Sharjah. They were bowled out for 79 in the third T20I, de-spite Ryan Burl's 30, and lost the match by seven wickets.

Raza's century in the second T20I was an encouraging individual performance, but Zimbabwe also surrendered 221/7 and were beaten by 19 runs.

The visitors must recalibrate for a format in which occupying the crease matters more than scoring quickly.

Team News

Afghanistan have confirmed Rahmat Shah as Test captain but he will be without Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran who are both being rested from Test match action. Shahidullah Kamal and Yamin Ahmadzai were recalled after putting in some solid first-class performances. Zimbabwe's final XI is likely to change due to pitch conditions on the day.

Afghanistan (possible XI): Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Shahidullah Kamal, Rahmat Shah (c), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ikram Alikhil, Ismat Alam, Yamin Ahmadzai, Qais Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, Mohammad Saleem Safi.

Zimbabwe (possible XI): Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Tafadzwa Tsi-ga, Blessing Muzarabani, Graeme Cremer, Newman Nyamhuri, Vincent Masekesa.

Simon is a talented sports writer in South Africa with a strong focus on cricket having played first-team level for UCT, including playing at two Universities Weeks.

From a young age Simon was an avid reader of cricket magazines and books, and went on to be Editor of The Googly, CricketScene SA and SA Cricket, in addition to being a Features Writer on SA Sports Illustrated.

He has interviewed most of South Africa's premier cricketers and was the first writer to interview a teenaged Jacques Kallis.

Simon has also written about English and local football, rugby and cricket, in addition to major international tennis and golf stars and competitions.

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