Zimbabwe took to the field with confidence in the opening Test against Afghanistan in Sharjah, after skipper Brian Bennett opted to bat first. This decision marked a significant moment for the team, with Graeme Cremer returning to the Test setup after a lengthy hiatus of nearly nine years. Meanwhile, 27-year-old Antum Naqvi, originally from Belgium with Pakistani roots, marked his Test debut. Naqvi, revered for his impressive first-class average of 60.35, made headlines back in 2024 by being the first to score a triple-century in Zimbabwean cricket, securing 300 not out for Mid-West Rhinos against Tuskers.
Speaking at the toss, Bennett shared his strategic rationale: “The wicket might tear up later on in the Test match, so I think the first session is going to be important for us, but I think if we can get through that, we’ll put on a decent total.” Bennett leads the side in place of regular captain Richard Ngarava, who is nursing a back injury.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, saw captain Rahmat Shah ready to commence with the ball after unsuccessfully vying for a chance to bat. Despite this, Shah expressed contentment with their position: “We are in good form and want to keep continuing. We will just try to bowl in one channel and according to the field. We want to show the consistency level.” Afghanistan also introduced debutant Rahmanullah into their batting lineup, bolstering their middle order.
The teams line up as follows:
Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Shahidullah, Rahmat Shah (capt), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rahmanullah, Qais Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman, Ziaur Rahman, Mohammad Saleem
Zimbabwe: Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett (capt), Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine, Antum Naqvi, Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Graeme Cremer, Newman Nyamhuri, Blessing Muzarabani
As the match unfolds, Zimbabwe aims to capitalise on the early advantage on a potentially wearing pitch, while Afghanistan seeks to disrupt their plans with disciplined bowling.
