Sediqullah Atal
496 runs in the last 10 ODIs. Career average 42.2, strike rate 86.
The sides
| Measure | Afghanistan | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 16985th of 20 | 130517th of 20 |
| Home advantage | +130Rating points | –Touring |
| XI caps | 736ODIs between the XI | 595ODIs between the XI |
| Top-seven average | 36.5ODI batting in Afghanistan | 27.3ODI batting in Afghanistan |
| Bowling average | 30.2Five main bowlers, ODIs | 39.1Five main bowlers, ODIs |
When Afghanistan bat
−0.20 an overPowerplayOvers 1–10−0.22MiddleOvers 11–45−0.22DeathOvers 46–50−0.09
When Zimbabwe bat
−0.59 an overPowerplayOvers 1–10−0.52MiddleOvers 11–45−0.69DeathOvers 46–50−0.09
First innings
302Afghanistan bat first
202Zimbabwe bat first
259Par
245Average here since 2019, 18 innings
364Highest here, Pakistan 2014
Afghanistan heavily favoured on a 16.2-run bowling edge and 88% win probability
Afghanistan are favoured, and heavily: 88% to Zimbabwe's 12% in Sharjah, where their XI rates 20.9 runs a match above an average Full Member side and Zimbabwe's rates level with one. The batting gap is wide — Afghanistan's XI is 4.7 runs a match better with the bat, Zimbabwe's 7.5 worse — and the bowling gap is wider, 16.2 against 7.5. Afghanistan batting first project 302; Zimbabwe, 202, against a par of 259, and the side batting first has won 8 of 18 here since 2019.
Afghanistan's top seven average 49.1 against wrist spin since 2023, 14% above their 43.1 against all bowling, where Full Member top sevens drop a tenth, to 33 from 36.8. Zimbabwe's wrist spinner in our predicted XI, Ryan Burl, has 56 balls in the format since 2023, no wickets and an economy of 8.57.
What total is safe?
ODIs in United Arab Emirates since 2019
First inningsDefended
Under 25033%14 of 43
250–27950%8 of 16
280–30980%8 of 10
310–339100%3 of 3
340+100%2 of 2
The case for Afghanistan
- Rashid Khan has 32 wickets in his last 10 matches and 56 wickets at 16.0 with an economy of 4.22 since 2023, a bowling rating of 15.0 runs a match above an average player.
- Ibrahim Zadran has 460 runs and Sediqullah Atal 498 in their last 10 matches, in a top seven that averages 43.1 against all bowling since 2023.
- Behind Rashid, Allah Ghazanfar has 31 wickets at 21.4 and Azmatullah Omarzai 45 at 23.3, the depth behind a bowling rating of 16.2 runs a match above an average side.
Batting standout
Bowling standout
Rashid Khan
30 wickets in the last 10 ODIs. Career economy 4.25.
The case for Zimbabwe
- Sikandar Raza has 431 runs in his last 10 matches and averages 37.31 at a strike rate of 85.6 in ODIs, with 8 wickets in that run and a bowling rating of 4.7.
- Brad Evans has 23 wickets in his last 10 matches, and 23 at 22.0 with an economy of 5.58 in the format since 2023.
- Zimbabwe's top seven average 40.7 against left-arm pace, well above the 33.4 Full Member benchmark, and Afghanistan's left-arm quick, Fazalhaq Farooqi, is outside our predicted XI.
Batting standout
Sikandar Raza
407 runs in the last 10 ODIs. Career average 37.6, strike rate 86.
Bowling standout
Brad Evans
23 wickets in the last 10 ODIs. Career economy 5.81.