Toss Afghanistan chose to bat vs Zimbabwe
An Afghanistan side with three debutants opted to bat first against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi. Afghanistan went into the match with a new opening batsman Abdul Malik, middle-order batsman Munir Ahmad and legspinner Abdul Wasi, who was chosen in place of the injured Rashid Khan.
Zimbabwe also had a maiden cap, the much-anticipated debut of former Under-19 vice captain Wesley Madhevere who has had impressive white-ball showings for Zimbabwe so far. The visitors opted for an XI with three seamers, including the return of two-metre tall Blessing Muzarabani, who will operate with Donald Tiripano and Victor Nyauchi with Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Ryan Burl and Madhevere to share the spin duties.
This is the first Test meeting between these two sides, Afghanistan’s fifth Test and first since late 2019, and Zimbabwe’s first Test in more than a year.
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashamatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan (capt), Afsar Zazai (wk), Munir Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Amit Hamza, Abdul Wasi
Zimbabwe: Kevin Kasuza, Prince Masvaure, Sean Williams (capt), Wesley Madhevere, Tarisai Musakanda, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva (wk), Donald Tiripano, Blessing Muzarabani, Victor Nyauchi
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent