Afghanistan crush Zimbabwe to level series

BULAWAYO, July 24 (Reuters) – Off-spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf took three wickets as Afghanistan skittled hosts Zimbabwe for 159 to win the fourth and final one-day international by 100 runs on Thursday and draw the series 2-2.

Ashraf returned figures of three for 29 and along with seamer Dawlat Zadran (two for 39) was the pick of the bowlers as Afghanistan recorded their biggest ever 50-over victory by runs.

Having been sent into bat, Afghanistan posted a par-score of 259 as they were bowled out in the final over, wicketkeeper Shafiqullah Shafiq top-scoring with 56.

Seamer Donald Tiripano was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers as he recorded career-best figures of five for 63.

Zimbabwe were in early trouble in their reply and never recovered from a position of 26 for six, despite a rally from debutant wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami, who struck 64 from 75 balls to play a lone hand for the hosts.

Afghanistan lost the opening two games of the series, but rallied in the final two matches to end a hugely satisfying tour for the Asian side.

(Reporting by Nick Said in Cape Town; editing by Ed Osmond; [e-mail] [phone] Messaging [e-mail]; To sign up for our Global Sports Forum chatroom, click on https://forms.thomsonreuters.com/global_sports_forum)