Zimbabwe lost the UAE ODI tri-series final to Afghanistan by seven wickets in Sharjah on Friday, bowled out for 169 before Afghanistan knocked off the runs with 93 balls to spare.

Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to bat, but Zimbabwe were soon 26 for 3, BBC Sport, Cricbuzz and ESPNcricinfo report. Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled Tadiwanashe Marumani and removed Tafadzwa Tsiga, and Azmatullah Omarzai took a return catch to dismiss Brian Bennett. Brendan Taylor followed, edging Bilal Sami behind, to leave Zimbabwe 55 for 4.

Raza's lone stand

Raza and Ryan Burl put on 60 for the fifth wicket before Mohammad Nabi had Burl caught. Nabi then had Wessly Madhevere stumped, which Cricbuzz says was his 300th international wicket. Rashid Khan took three in quick succession, including Raza, caught at long-off for 68 off 83 balls, his 27th ODI fifty according to Cricbuzz. Zimbabwe fell from 115 for 4 to 137 for 9.

Blessing Muzarabani and Wellington Masakadza added 32 for the last wicket before Sami bowled Masakadza in the 44th over. Rashid finished with 3 for 41, and Nabi, Sami and Farooqi took two each.

The chase

Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit 36 off 31 balls to give Afghanistan a quick start. Newman Nyamhuri took two wickets, removing Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal, but Ibrahim Zadran (70 not out) and Rahmat Shah added 82 for the third wicket. Madhevere took a one-handed catch to end Rahmat's innings, and Hashmatullah Shahidi hit the winning boundary in the 35th over. ESPNcricinfo said Afghanistan were "clinical with bat and ball throughout the competition".

Why it matters

Zimbabwe reached the final with one win from their two group games, a 99-run victory over Bangladesh in the opener, after losing to Afghanistan by 158 runs in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Afghanistan went through the series unbeaten, Cricbuzz notes. Friday's result means Zimbabwe lost to the same side twice in five days.

It was a difficult day for Zimbabwe cricket all round. The Lady Chevrons also lost their first one-day international against India in Vadodara on Friday, by nine wickets, despite 62 from Beloved Biza.

What's next

The two men's sides stay in Sharjah for three T20 internationals and two Tests between 27 October and 17 November, BBC Sport has reported. The Lady Chevrons play India again in the second ODI on Sunday.

Zimbabwe: 169 all out (43.3 overs); Afghanistan: 170 for 3 (34.3 overs); Result: Afghanistan won by 7 wickets; Top scorers: Sikandar Raza 68, Ibrahim Zadran 70 not out.

Sources: Cricbuzz, 23 Oct 2026: https://m.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/140628/afghanistan-thrash-zimbabwe-to-win-odi-tri-series · BBC Sport scorecard, 23 Oct 2026: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-244566 · ESPNcricinfo (Mohammad Isam), 23 Oct 2026: https://www.cricinfo.com/series/uae-odi-tri-series-2026-27-1555109/afghanistan-vs-zimbabwe-final-1556871/match-report · ESPNcricinfo scorecard, 23 Oct 2026: https://www.cricinfo.com/series/uae-odi-tri-series-2026-27-1555109/afghanistan-vs-zimbabwe-final-1556871/full-scorecard

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