Cricket - ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Australia v Afghanistan - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - November 7, 2023 Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi in action REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - Afghanistan amassed their highest score of 699 on Monday before the first test against Zimbabwe ended in a draw at the end of the final day at the Queens Sports Club.
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, batting for a third successive day, scored 246 to reclaim the record test score for an Afghani batsman after Rahmat Shah was dismissed for 234 late on the fourth day on Sunday.
Hashmatullah held the record with his unbeaten 200 against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi in 2021 but Rahmat bettered it in Bulawayo before Hashmatullah claimed his record back in the same innings.
Afghanistan resumed on the last day on 515-3 and saw Afsar Zazai score a maiden test century before being caught for 113.
That wicket set off a slump in their batting as they lost their last seven wickets for 60 runs with part-time offspinner Brian Bennett claiming 5-95.
Zimbabwe were 65 without loss at tea as they began their second innings but, amid a rain delay, then lost four quick wickets but rallied to 142-4 when the two captains shook hands and agreed to end play shortly before the scheduled close.
Zimbabwe’s first innings score of 586 was also a record test tally for them, bettering the 563-9 which they made against West Indies in Harare in 2001.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town)
