Afghanistan completed a 3–0 T20I sweep of Zimbabwe with a seven-wicket win in Sharjah on 1 November 2026, the Afghanistan Cricket Board reported. Noor Ahmad's career-best bowling figures drove the final match.
Noor Ahmad breaks through in Sharjah
The Afghanistan Cricket Board's 1 November report says Noor took five wickets for 13 runs after Afghanistan chose to field. Zimbabwe were dismissed for 79. Abdullah Tarakhil, making his T20I debut, took two more wickets as Afghanistan's attack prevented a recovery.
Afghanistan reached 80 for three in 8.1 overs, according to the Afghanistan Cricket Board's 1 November score summary. According to the board's report, captain Ibrahim Zadran was unbeaten on 25, with Azmatullah Omarzai also there at the finish. Noor received the Player of the Match award for his bowling.
The International Cricket Council separately records Noor's spell as a career best and confirms the seven-wicket margin. The ICC's 1 November report says Zimbabwe's Ryan Burl scored 30 while wickets continued to fall around him. Afghanistan still finished the chase despite losing early batters.
A secured series becomes a sweep
SportsRivo analysed the Afghanistan Cricket Board's reports for the second and third matches. Winning the second match secured the series for Afghanistan. The last match in Sharjah completed Afghanistan's unbeaten sweep of Zimbabwe. Azmatullah Omarzai received the Player of the Series award for his all-round performance. Noor Ahmad earned the Player of the Match award for his bowling in the final match.
What the result means for both sides
- Afghanistan finish the T20I series without a defeat, as confirmed by the board's final match report.
- Noor leaves the final with the Player of the Match award; Omarzai takes the series award, the board reported.
- Zimbabwe now move from the short format into a Test assignment against the same opponents, according to the ICC's series report.
Test cricket follows the T20I contest
The ICC lists the first Afghanistan–Zimbabwe Test for 5 November in Sharjah. The change of format gives both sides a new contest after the completed T20I series, with the match result and the Test schedule recorded separately by the governing body.
Source: Afghanistan Cricket Board