Right then, that is it from the one-off test between these two sides. A comprehensive win for the hosts as they win by an innings and 73 runs!  Craig Ervine and his victorious Zimbabwean players smile widely while posing with the one-off Test trophy. We now move on to the T20I series between these two sides. The first game will be played on Wednesday, the 29th of October at 11.30 am GMT. Do join us for the early build-up as well. Until then, take care, and cheers!

Craig Ervine, the skipper of Zimbabwe, says that his team has worked hard throughout the year. He adds that winning the toss was a crucial factor and commends the bowlers, particularly highlighting Ben Curran's composed innings. He mentions individual performances from Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava, Chivanga, and Blessing Muzarabani, wishing the latter had taken more wickets.

Ben Curran is the Player of the Match for his knock of 121 runs! He says that he is delighted with his performance, especially after overcoming an injury. He adds that the transition from injury to playing against New Zealand was challenging, but this Test match was special, and the win was a bonus. Curran credits his batting coach for helping him work on his plans, which contributed to his success.

Hashmatullah Shahidi, the skipper of Afghanistan, says that Zimbabwe's cricket has improved, and they used their fast bowlers well. He adds that they played poorly, losing wickets in clusters due to a lack of Test experience. He also says Ziaur Rahman's bowling was excellent, and he hopes that he'll continue playing for Afghanistan for a long time.

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The Zimbabwean bowlers were simply relentless, and their pace attack proved too hot to handle. The standout performer was Richard Ngarava, who tore through the Afghan order to claim a sensational five-wicket haul in the second innings, an outstanding effort! He was well supported by Blessing Muzarabani, who chipped in with three crucial wickets, while Tanaka Chivanga bagged the remaining two. It was a clinical performance from the home side's bowling unit, ensuring a comprehensive and well-deserved victory.

Facing a monumental task in their second innings, the Afghan batting line-up ultimately crumbled under the pressure. While Ibrahim Zadran showed some resistance, top-scoring with a patient 42, and Bahir Shah added a solid 32, the rest of the team offered little fight. The visitors were bundled out for a meager 159, succumbing to a heavy defeat by an innings and 73 runs. It was a disappointing end to a tough outing for the Afghans.

Evans' devastating five-wicket haul crippled Afghanistan initially, but Sharifi's historic seven-wicket performance prevented Zimbabwe from running away with an even larger total. With the Chevrons holding a commanding 232-run lead, the stage was set for a tense third innings, but the sheer scale of the deficit left Afghanistan with a mountain to climb.

In reply, Zimbabwe began their innings successfully but had to fight for every run against the spirited Afghan attack. Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine fell to the quick bowlers, but the recovery was launched by Sikandar Raza and a patient Ben Curran. Despite a middle-innings grind where key wickets fell right before the breaks, Curran anchored the innings, eventually scoring a superb century. The main drama came from Afghanistan's debutant seamer, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, who tore through the latter half of the order, claiming an incredible seven wickets, the best-ever figures for an Afghan on Test debut, as Zimbabwe were finally dismissed for 359, establishing a significant lead of 232 runs.

A comprehensive win for Zimbabwe! It was a dramatic tug-of-war between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Zimbabwe's seamers, led by a sensational spell from Brad Evans (5/22), skittled Afghanistan for a paltry 127 in the first innings, despite a stabilizing second-wicket partnership. The visitors collapsed rapidly after the drinks break, losing nine wickets for just 50 runs, setting a low target for the Chevrons.

Ziaur Rahman is the last man in.