Afghanistan and Zimbabwe meet in the second and final Test at Sharjah Cricket Stadium from Friday, November 13, with the series level at 0-0. The opening Test produced 1,541 runs across three innings and ended in a draw, so both bowling attacks face scrutiny. This preview breaks down the numbers.
Series Context: A Run-Fest With No Result
The first Test was dominated by batters on both sides. Zimbabwe scored 504 in their first innings and declared on 523/5 in the second, while Afghanistan replied with 514 in their only innings.
Afghanistan trailed by just 10 runs on the first innings, a margin that shows how evenly matched the two sides were with the bat. Neither bowling unit was able to force a result in five days.
First Test Scoring Summary
| Innings | Team | Score |
|---|
| Zimbabwe 1st innings | Zimbabwe | 504 |
| Afghanistan 1st innings | Afghanistan | 514 |
| Zimbabwe 2nd innings | Zimbabwe | 523/5 declared |
| Total runs in the match | Both teams | 1,541 |
Zimbabwe's Batting Depth
Zimbabwe's top and middle order delivered consistently. Craig Ervine finished unbeaten on 206 in the second innings, the highest individual score of the match.
Brendan Taylor made 131 and 82, a combined 213 runs. Brian Bennett added 128 not out and 50, while Wessly Madhevere struck an unbeaten century.
Zimbabwe Key Performers
| Batter | Scores | Combined Runs |
|---|
| Craig Ervine | 206* | 206 |
| Brendan Taylor | 131 and 82 | 213 |
| Brian Bennett | 128* and 50 | 178 |
| Wessly Madhevere | Unbeaten century | 100+ |
Afghanistan's Batting Response
Afghanistan batted once and still reached 514, with three centurions. Rahmat Shah led with 173, followed by Rahmanullah Zadran with 113 and Sediqullah Atal with 105.
Those three scores add up to 391 runs, roughly 76% of the innings total. Rahmat Shah alone contributed about 34% of the runs.
Afghanistan Key Performers
| Batter | Score | Share of 514 |
|---|
| Rahmat Shah | 173 | 33.7% |
| Rahmanullah Zadran | 113 | 22.0% |
| Sediqullah Atal | 105 | 20.4% |
Sharjah Pitch Report
The surface is expected to favour batters again, in line with the first Test scoring. Spinners may become more relevant as the pitch wears over the five days.
Afghanistan will look to use home conditions and their bowlers to take 20 wickets. The main question is whether either attack can adapt better than it did in the opening match.
Head-to-Head Record in Tests
The two sides have played six Tests, with the record perfectly balanced. Each team has won two and two matches have been drawn.
| Metric | Record |
|---|
| Matches played | 6 |
| Won by Afghanistan | 2 |
| Won by Zimbabwe | 2 |
| Drawn or no result | 2 |
| First fixture | March 2-3, 2021 |
| Most recent fixture | November 5-9, 2026 |
Match Details and Predicted Playing XIs
The match runs from November 13 to November 17, 2026, starting at 10:30 AM IST. It will be streamed on FanCode through its app and website.
Afghanistan Predicted XI
Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Shahidullah Kamal, Rahmat Shah (c), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rahmanullah, Qais Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi.
Zimbabwe Predicted XI
Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett (c), Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine, Antum Naqvi, Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Graeme Cremer, Newman Nyamhuri, Blessing Muzarabani.
Analytical Outlook
With six centuries or scores of 128 or more across the first Test, bowling discipline is likely to decide the series. The side that takes its chances early and controls scoring rates in the middle overs holds the edge.