Key Points

• Batting woes haunt Zimbabwe as they slump to another home defeat.

• Batting woes haunt Zimbabwe while Afghanistan’s top order seals a series win.

• Rashid Khan’s disciplined attack and Ibrahim Zadran’s form punish hosts.

This week, Zimbabwe’s batting problems were on full display when Afghanistan won the Twenty20 International series at Harare Sports Club. The home team, led by captain Craig Ervine, couldn’t put up much of a fight against the visitors’ precise spin and pace combinations. The result ended a disappointing white-ball leg after Zimbabwe had won a Test match that boosted their spirits.

Afghanistan, led by T20 captain Rashid Khan, showed better tactical discipline and won the series 2–0 with one game left. Khan’s team, which had a mix of young and experienced players, was better than the home team in every area of the game: batting, bowling, and fielding. This made the third game a formality.

How Zimbabwe’s batting problems come back to haunt them when they are under pressure

The first T20I told the whole story. Zimbabwe was bowled out for only 127 runs while chasing 183. Their innings fell apart because they chose bad shots and didn’t rotate their strikes. The only good thing about the top order, which couldn’t make a single partnership over 30 runs, was Tinotenda Maposa’s tough 32. Afghanistan’s Mujeeb ur Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai stopped Zimbabwe’s chase by taking five wickets between them.

The same thing happened in the second match. Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams were both out early, leaving the middle order open and only Ryan Burl putting up a fight. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan’s openers, then put together a strong 88-run partnership that all but ended Zimbabwe’s hopes before the halfway point. The home team was even more miserable because of mistakes in the field and missed catches.

What Zimbabwe’s problems with batting say about the system

There is a bigger problem with Zimbabwe’s domestic cricket that is causing the repeated collapses. Former coach Lalchand Rajput and other analysts have said that the team didn’t prepare well for T20 matches, relied too much on a few senior players, and didn’t have enough depth on the bench. Reports say that Zimbabwe’s training camps were mostly about red-ball cricket before the one-off Test, which left players unprepared for the fast-paced T20 challenge.

Younger batters like Brian Bennett and Clive Madande haven’t had a lot of chances to play at home, which has also limited their options. Zimbabwe’s innings have fallen apart time and time again after the top three players have been out, showing that their middle order isn’t strong enough.

What this means for Zimbabwe’s future in T20

The loss of the series is a wake-up call for Zimbabwe Cricket. The technical committee is now under more and more pressure to fix its T20 structure before the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers. Afghanistan’s bowlers showed Zimbabwe’s weaknesses, so selectors may need to spend money on programs to help T20 players develop their skills and their mental game.

Afghanistan, on the other hand, keeps proving that their rise is not a fluke. Khan’s team has a calm demeanour and an aggressive approach to the game, which is similar to how a top-tier T20 team grows over time. Zimbabwe needs more than hope to move forward; they need to change.

Zimbabwe’s problems with batting will continue until then, and the memories of this loss in Harare may stay with them for a long time.