Rahmat Shah 94 not out: Afghanistan fight back against Zimbabwe in 1st Test

Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah played a gritty, composed leader’s knock on Saturday, 7 November, finishing Day 3 unbeaten on 94 runs to steer his team to 402 for 7 against Zimbabwe in the first Test at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Responding to Zimbabwe’s mammoth first-innings total of 504—built around Brian Bennett’s fluent century—Afghanistan found themselves under severe pressure after losing early wickets on the previous afternoon.

Centuries set up the Afghan reply

Before Rahmat’s masterclass in patience, the foundation for Afghanistan’s resistance was laid by two top-order batsmen:

• Rahmanullah Zadran: Compiled a stylish 113, punishing loose deliveries on both sides of the wicket.
• Sediqullah Atal: Struck a measured 105, frustrating Zimbabwe’s pace attack across two full sessions.
• Rahmat’s anchor role: Walking in at 245 for 3, Rahmat batted through over four hours, striking 10 boundaries and combining strong backfoot defence with calculated strike rotation.

The state of the match heading into Day 4

At stumps on the third evening, Afghanistan trailed Zimbabwe by 102 runs with three wickets remaining. Lower-order resistance from Nangeyalia Kharote and Zia-ur-Rehman helped ensure Afghanistan avoided the follow-on.

For Zimbabwe, fast bowler Richard Ngarava and off-spinner Sikandar Raza bowled marathon spells in warm Sharjah conditions, sharing five wickets between them.

With two days remaining and the pitch beginning to show signs of variable bounce, Rahmat’s quest for his Test hundred on Day 4 morning will determine whether Afghanistan can press for a first-innings lead.