Zimbabwe were bowled out for 79 in the third and final T20 International in Sharjah on Sunday, and Afghanistan knocked off the runs in 8.1 overs to win by seven wickets and complete a 3-0 series sweep.

Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran won the toss and chose to bowl. Zimbabwe lost two wickets with the score on 8, Innocent Kaia caught behind off Fazalhaq Farooqi and Brian Bennett caught off Azmatullah Omarzai, Cricket World and ESPNcricinfo report. Captain Sikandar Raza followed for 2, giving debutant Abdullah Tarakhail his first international wicket, and Zimbabwe were 37 for 3 at the end of the powerplay.

Burl fights, then the collapse

Ryan Burl was the only batter to settle, hitting five fours in 30 off 29 balls before he was given out lbw to Abdollah Ahmadzai with the score on 56. ESPNcricinfo reports the series was played without the Decision Review System, and that Burl and Rashid Khan had a heated exchange after an earlier lbw appeal was turned down, with the umpires stepping in to separate them.

From 56 for 4, Zimbabwe lost six wickets for 23 runs. Noor Ahmad removed Wessly Madhevere (10 off 17), Tafadzwa Tsiga and Tadiwanashe Marumani in the 11th over, then finished the innings by dismissing Newman Nyamhuri and Ernest Masuku. His figures of 5 for 13 in 3.3 overs were his first five-wicket haul in T20Is, according to ESPNcricinfo, beating his previous best of 4 for 10, also against Zimbabwe, in Harare in 2022. Tarakhail took 2 for 14.

ESPNcricinfo says 79 is Zimbabwe's second-lowest total in the format.

A quick chase

Mohammad Akram hit three fours in five balls before he was caught off Blessing Muzarabani, but Afghanistan reached 50 in 5.3 overs. Masuku took two wickets in the fifth over, removing Sediqullah Atal (20 off 14) and wicketkeeper Noor ul Rahman, but Zadran finished unbeaten on 25 off 17 and Omarzai hit 18 off 12, ending the match with a six off Vincent Masekesa. Afghanistan won with 71 balls to spare, which ESPNcricinfo calls their second-biggest win by balls remaining in T20Is.

How the series went

Afghanistan won the opening match on 27 October by 37 runs, bowling Zimbabwe out for 140 after making 177. Two days later Zimbabwe came closer: Afghanistan recovered from 5 for 4 to post 221 for 7, led by Omarzai's 116 off 50 balls, and Raza's unbeaten 106 took Zimbabwe to 202 for 5, 19 runs short, ESPNcricinfo reported. Omarzai was named Player of the Series.

Why it matters

The sweep caps a difficult fortnight in the UAE for the Chevrons. Earlier on the same tour they lost to Afghanistan by 158 runs in Abu Dhabi and then by seven wickets in the ODI tri-series final, their only win coming against Bangladesh. ESPNcricinfo notes Sunday's result was Afghanistan's 22nd win in 24 T20Is against Zimbabwe. Raza's century on Thursday showed the batting can compete, but two collapses in three matches, and a total of 79 on Sunday, leave the side with plenty to fix.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo (Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi), 1 Nov 2026: https://www.cricinfo.com/series/afghanistan-v-zimbabwe-2026-27-1555105/afghanistan-vs-zimbabwe-3rd-t20i-1555122/match-report · Cricket World, 1 Nov 2026: https://www.cricketworld.com/afghanistan-vs-zimbabwe-in-uae-afghanistan-bowl-out-zimbabwe-for-79-in-dominant-3rd-t20i-display/114143.htm · CricTotal scorecard: https://scorecard.crictotal.com/match/797-7656.php

Related: Afghanistan beat Chevrons by seven wickets to win tri-series final