SHARJAH: In a thrilling opening encounter of the AFG vs ZIM 1st T20I at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Afghanistan posted a highly competitive total of 177 before being bowled out in 19.5 overs.&nbsp;

The innings was anchored by a spectacular batting display from young sensation Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, whose crucial half-century rescued the designated hosts from a mid-innings wobble and propelled them to a position of strength.

Asking to bat first, Afghanistan&rsquo;s top order sought to maximize the powerplay. Opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (18) provided an explosive start, capitalizing on any width offered by the Zimbabwean pacers. However, Zimbabwe&rsquo;s bowling unit showed immense discipline, fighting back with a cluster of quick wickets. Brad Evans struck early and Newman Nyamhuri choked the run flow, leaving Afghanistan&rsquo;s middle order under severe pressure.

It was the brilliant partnership between Ijaz Ahmad (52 off 22) and Shahidullah (46 off 42) that completely shifted the momentum back in Afghanistan&#39;s favor. Ijaz Ahmad&#39;s half-century was the cornerstone of the Afghan innings, characterized by a mature blend of sensible strike rotation and explosive boundary hitting.&nbsp;

The young batter took a special liking to Zimbabwe&rsquo;s death bowlers, launching multiple maximums over the mid-wicket boundary to bring the Sharjah crowd to its feet. Rashid Khan (30 off 10) provided the perfect foil at the other end, using his vast experience to clear the ropes during the crucial death overs.

Zimbabwe&#39;s bowlers, however, refused to completely let the game slide away. Led by a clinical final over from Newman Nyamhuri, the visitors executed a superb death-bowling display to trigger a late collapse, cleaning up the tail and ensuring Afghanistan was bowled out with one ball left in the innings. Newman Nyamhuri finished as the pick of the bowlers, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 31.

Setting a target of 178, Afghanistan will feel confident given the spin-friendly nature of the Sharjah surface and the presence of Rashid Khan in their bowling arsenal.&nbsp;

On the other hand, Zimbabwe&#39;s top order faces a daunting task under the lights as they look to go 1-0 up in this <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/sports/afghanistan-vs-zimbabwe-2026-27/1245/1">AFG vs ZIM series</a>.

Ijaz Ahmad's half-century led Afghanistan to 177 before Newman Nyamhuri's 4-wicket haul triggered a late collapse in the AFG vs ZIM 1st T20I.

AFG vs ZIM 1st T20I: Ijaz’s Half-Century Powers Afghanistan to 177

After a stellar ODI tri-series, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe are set to meet again in a bilateral series, featuring three T20I internationals and one-off Test match. Both sides are familiar with each other, as they last played in the <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/afghanistan-vs-zimbabwe-odi-tri-series-match-highlights/8652-2-0">final</a> of the tri-series, where Afghanistan came out on top to lift the trophy.

Now, the Afghan Atalan will aim to continue their winning streak by beating Zimbabwe in the first T20I at Sharjah. It is going to be a competitive match, because Zimbabwe has shown great improvement in the shortest format of the game during the last few years. They have a strong lineup to play quality T20 cricket, however, beating Afghanistan won&rsquo;t be a straightforward job.

In this article, we will discuss how you can catch the live action of this series by using tapmad. Let&rsquo;s take a quick look at it below.

<h2>How to Watch the Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Series Live on tapmad</h2>

The bilateral series between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will be streamed live on tapmad, which has quickly become the top choice for many fans to watch major sporting events online. Using our platform is super easy even for beginners, as it just requires a few steps to start following all the cricket action live online. Here&rsquo;s how you can get started with tapmad in just a few minutes.

<ul>
	<li>Open the tapmad website or download the mobile app.</li>
	<li>Log in to your existing account or create a new one with the desired credentials.</li>
	<li>Choose a subscription plan if required.</li>
	<li>Search for the Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Series in the sports section.</li>
	<li>Start streaming the match in HD quality on your preferred device.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Final Words</h2>

Afghanistan is set to take on Zimbabwe in the upcoming bilateral series starting from October 27 in the UAE. The momentum is clearly on their side, as the recent victory in the ODI tri-series final has given them a psychological edge over Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, underestimating their talented stars could prove costly for Afghanistan, as Zimbabwe has a history of producing remarkable performances against all odds. Considering this, the upcoming matches between both sides are expected to be very competitive, promising plenty of high-quality cricket for all fans.

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will go head-to-head against each other in the upcoming bilateral series in the UAE. Find out how to watch all the matches of this series live online on tapmad.

How to Watch Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Series Live Online

https://d34080pnh6e62j.cloudfront.net/images/contentCategorythumb/1792754250_1600x2130.jpg

Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe 2026

Blogs