Twitter Reactions: Masakadza masterclass on swansong scripts maiden T20I win for Zimbabwe over Afghanistan

Masakadza bowed out with a sparkling 71 off 42 balls with four boundaries and five sixes.

By Sabyasachi Chowdhury

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Hamilton Masakadza
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Hamilton Masakadza. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The match between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan was a mere dead rubber as the finalists of the T20I tri-nation series have already been decided. However, it was veteran Hamilton Masakadza’s final match in national colours. The game went right down to the last over, but Zimbabwe made the game a memorable one for Masakadza, winning it by seven wickets with three balls to spare.

Afghans lose way after Rahmanullah blitz

The Afghans won the toss, elected to bat and then got off to a blistering start. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (61) and Hazratullah Zazai (31) stitched together a stand of 83 runs off 57 balls. Gurbaz notched his maiden fifty at the highest level and his knock was laced with four fours and as many sixes. Zazai also found the boundary a few times and he was the first wicket to fall to leggie Tinotenda Mutumbodzi.

Shafiqullah (16) then carried on the momentum before Chris Mpofu trapped him plumb in front. But after Sean Williams nipped out Gurbaz. the Afghans could only manage 39 runs in their last six overs. Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi, who played brilliantly versus Zimbabwe last time around, couldn’t make an impact. Mpofu picked four wickets and the Afghans finished with 155 for eight.

Masakadza steps on the gas to decimate Afghanistan

Hamilton Masakadza (71) and Brendan Taylor (19) threw the kitchen sink at everything and put on 40 in five overs. Mujeeb Ur Rahman got rid of the latter to strike first blood. Masakadza didn’t take his foot off the paddle and got to his fifty of 27 balls. He got the required rate down to a run-a-ball and put Zimbabwe on the driver’s seat. Dawlat Zadran got him with a well-disguised slower ball.

The Afghan players went and shook his hand, congratulating him on his last international appearance. Regis Chakabva (39) took Zimbabwe close, but threw his wicket away to Mujeeb with 17 runs required. It was then up to an out-of-form Williams to sheer his team home. He took on Mujeeb in the 18th over with a couple of boundaries and that helped Zimbabwe get across the line.

Here is how Twitter lauded Masakadza on a spectacular career

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