<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://theearthcurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/fdfe8864-9788-4d19-afb4-1d8ceb60f93a.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1275"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Signature: rEZf9UbshmI7LjM/LC4yTQ8e0ilKJYQbEe2SyrNDK933nBpFJxyRD98pEI1zCs7psELboeqQ1PUydEjvVwAso6qJuwdsiLajo6eQ21jMllUtUCVZpU4OB3IPPCINRN7UESFJTirab19BEej54YDznDYUtHjkwmW9fb7Iso9UHBU=</figcaption></figure>



<p>The Harare Sports Club is alive with anticipation on October 29, 2025, as Afghanistan and Zimbabwe lock horns in the opening T20I of a three-match series. Coming off a humiliating Test defeat by an innings and 73 runs just a week ago, Rashid Khan&#8217;s men have flipped the script in the shortest format. Winning the toss and electing to bat first on a batsman-friendly pitch, Afghanistan&#8217;s openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have unleashed a ferocious Powerplay assault, racing to 63/0 in just 6 overs at a scorching run rate of 10.50. With the last five overs yielding 61 runs without a wicket, the forecast par score now hovers around 192 &#8211; a daunting chase under the African sun.</p>



<p><strong>Live Score Snapshot (As of 6 Overs):</strong> Afghanistan 63/0 | Gurbaz 36* (18 balls, 5&#215;4, 2&#215;6) | Zadran 26* (18 balls, 4&#215;4) | Zimbabwe: Ngarava 0/20 (2 overs) | Muzarabani 0/18 (2 overs) | Maposa 0/11 (2 overs). Current RR: 10.50 | Required RR for ZIM: Projected 9.60 if AFG posts 192.</p>



<p>This explosive start has silenced doubters who questioned Afghanistan&#8217;s white-ball revival after their red-ball woes. Gurbaz, the aggressive opener and wicketkeeper, has been the architect of this blitz, smashing Richard Ngarava for two boundaries in his opening over and lofting Blessing Muzarabani over mid-off for a massive six. His 36 off 18 balls includes five fours and two sixes, striking at 200 &#8211; a testament to his evolution from a tentative starter to a T20 dasher. Zadran, the young gun averaging 39.3 in T20Is this year, complements perfectly with calculated aggression, picking gaps and rotating strike to keep the momentum rolling. Their 63-run stand is already Afghanistan&#8217;s highest Powerplay score against Zimbabwe in T20Is, eclipsing the 52 from their 2022 encounter.</p>



<p>Zimbabwe&#8217;s bowling attack, led by the experienced Sikandar Raza, looks rattled early. Ngarava, who claimed five wickets in the Test, leaked 20 runs in his first two overs without swing or seam to exploit. Muzarabani&#8217;s fuller lengths have been punished, while debutant Tinotenda Maposa&#8217;s medium pace offered no breakthroughs despite economical figures. Captain Raza, at 39, will need to summon his leg-spin magic soon &#8211; his economy of 6.85 in T20Is could be key if the pitch grips later. The hosts, buoyed by their Test triumph where pacers like Ngarava (10/74) and Brad Evans (5/22) dominated, must adapt to T20&#8217;s unforgiving nature. A recent trend shows Zimbabwe winning 9 of 16 T20Is in 2025, but against spin-heavy sides like Afghanistan, their record dips to 40% win rate.</p>



<p><strong>Head-to-Head Deep Dive (Research-Backed Insights):</strong> In 16 T20I meetings, Afghanistan holds a commanding 11-5 edge, including 8 wins batting first. Their spinners &#8211; Rashid (45 wickets at 12.45 economy vs ZIM) and Mujeeb (28 wickets at 5.92) &#8211; have bamboozled Zimbabwe 7 times in chases under 150. Last clash in December 2024 saw ZIM snatch a 4-wicket thriller chasing 146, but AFG&#8217;s 35-run win in June 2022 highlights their dominance on batting tracks. Stats from ESPNcricinfo reveal AFG&#8217;s average first-innings total vs ZIM: 174, vs ZIM&#8217;s 150 when chasing &#8211; perfect for today&#8217;s scenario.</p>



<p><strong>Pitch Report &; Tactical Analysis:</strong> Harare&#8217;s surface is a belter &#8211; hard, bare, and grassless, offering true bounce and pace with short boundaries (65m square). Average 1st innings score: 156, but recent T20Is here have seen 180+ hauls, favoring batsmen by 65% (Cricbuzz data). Early seam movement has evaporated, shifting advantage to AFG&#8217;s middle-order firepower: Azmatullah Omarzai (SR 140+) and Mohammad Nabi (veteran finisher). Zimbabwe&#8217;s strategy? Introduce spin early &#8211; Raza and Ryan Burl could exploit any turn post-10 overs. Weather: Clear skies, 28°C, no rain interruptions expected. If AFG reaches 180, ZIM&#8217;s chase success rate drops to 35% historically.</p>



<p><strong>Key Player Watchlists:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Star to Shine: Rahmanullah Gurbaz</strong> &#8211; On cusp of fourth T20I fifty vs ZIM; his 306 runs at 128 SR in 2025 make him AFG&#8217;s X-factor.</li>



<li><strong>Dark Horse: Brian Bennett</strong> &#8211; ZIM opener with 708 runs at 152 SR this year; needs 50+ to anchor.</li>



<li><strong>Game-Changer: Rashid Khan</strong> &#8211; Captain&#8217;s 18 wickets in last 10 T20Is; expect 2-3 scalps in middle overs.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Prediction &; Series Outlook:</strong> Afghanistan to post 185/5 and win by 25 runs. Their spin trio could restrict ZIM to 160, extending the 2022 series whitewash vibes. For Zimbabwe, a Test morale boost won&#8217;t suffice without early wickets &#8211; expect a tight contest if Raza strikes gold. This series tees up T20 World Cup prep; tune in for drama!</p>



<p>Stay locked for ball-by-ball updates. Who do you back? Comment below to boost engagement!</p>



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<p>Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I live: AFG off to a blistering 63/0 in 6 overs at Harare. Get ball-by-ball scores, expert analysis on Rashid Khan&#8217;s spin threat, and why Zimbabwe needs quick wickets. Full match preview for October 29, 2025 clash.</p>



<p>Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe live score, 1st T20I 2025, AFG vs ZIM updates, cricket match analysis Harare, Rashid Khan T20I, Sikandar Raza performance, T20 cricket predictions</p>



<p>Zimbabwe Afghanistan head to head T20, Harare Sports Club pitch report, Rahmanullah Gurbaz fifty, Ibrahim Zadran batting, Mujeeb Ur Rahman wickets, Blessing Muzarabani bowling</p>



<p><strong>Hashtags:</strong> #AFGvZIM #T20I2025 #CricketLive #RashidKhanMagic #HarareCricket #ZimVsAfg #PowerplayBlitz #T20Analysis</p>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Embed link to ESPNcricinfo live scorecard: <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/afghanistan-in-zimbabwe-2025-26-1505250/zimbabwe-vs-afghanistan-1st-t20i-1505260/live-cricket-score" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ZIM vs AFG Live Score</a></li>



<li>Internal link idea: Related article on &#8220;Rashid Khan&#8217;s Top 5 T20I Spells&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p><em>(Sources: ESPNcricinfo for H2H stats; Cricbuzz for pitch insights; India Today for team news)</em></p>



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