AFG vs ZIM Match Prediction & AnalysisAfghanistan is set to face Zimbabwe in the 1st T20 match of Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe in UAE 2026 on October 27 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
Afghanistan’s recent form has been impressive; they also beat Zimbabwe in the final of the ODI tri-series.
They will now look to maintain this excellent form and will make every effort to clinch the T20 series as well.
Although they had performed well against Namibia, they ultimately failed to put up a strong challenge against South Africa.
The average first-innings score at this venue stands at around 150, and anything over 170 can be a match-winning total in this match.
AFG vs ZIM Match Prediction & Analysis
Afghanistan is set to face Zimbabwe in the 1st T20 match of Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe in UAE 2026 on October 27 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
Afghanistan’s recent form has been impressive; they also beat Zimbabwe in the final of the ODI tri-series. They will now look to maintain this excellent form and will make every effort to clinch the T20 series as well.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe's recent performances have not been very impressive; they recently faced defeat against South Africa in the final of a T20 tri-series. Although they had performed well against Namibia, they ultimately failed to put up a strong challenge against South Africa.
RECENT PERFORMANCE
ZIM L W L W L RSA 205/5 in 20.0 10.25 NTT South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 48 runs 06 Sep 2026 ZIM 157/10 in 18.0 8.72 NAM 156/6 in 20.0 7.8 NTT Zimbabwe Won by 5 wickets 03 Sep 2026 ZIM 159/5 in 18.1 8.75 ZIM 142/10 in 17.4 8.04 NTT South Africa won by 43 runs 01 Sep 2026 RSA 185/7 in 20.0 9.25 NAM 190/10 in 20.0 9.5 NTT Zimbabwe beat Namibia by 5 runs 31 Aug 2026 ZIM 195/6 in 20.0 9.75 RSA 146/3 in 13.4 10.68 NTT South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets 29 Aug 2026 ZIM 144/8 in 20.0 7.2
HEAD TO HEAD
TEAMS PREVIEW
Afghanistan Preview
Afghanistan will enter this T20 series with a high level of confidence, having delivered an excellent performance to win the preceding ODI series. However, their form in the T20 format has declined noticeably late; this series, therefore, offers them a chance to improve and secure a series win. Ibrahim Zadran will be seen captaining the Afghanistan side in this series.
In the batting department, expectations will be high on Ibrahim Zadran, who scored 271 runs in the last 8 matches at an average of 38.71. Additionally, Rahmanullah Gurbaz could also perform well; he has scored 227 runs in the last eight innings with a strike rate of 142.
In the bowling department, Rashid Khan will be a key threat in UAE conditions for Zimbabwe, who took 12 wickets in the last eight games. Moreover, Azmatullah Omarzai is also an excellent fast-bowling option, who took 12 wickets in his last seven games.
Afghanistan Predicted Playing XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran ©, Sediqullah Atal, Ahmad Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor ul Rahman, Shahidullah, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Abdollah Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Zimbabwe Preview
Zimbabwe's recent performance has been average; they did not perform particularly well in the recent T20 tri-series. Although they managed to secure two victories against Namibia, they suffered defeats in all matches against South Africa, including the final. This indicates that Zimbabwe has struggled to deliver their best when facing stronger opponents.
In the batting department, Ryan Burl is currently in excellent form. He has scored 223 runs in the last 10 matches at an average of 31.86. Brian Bennett was another consistent performer, contributing 197 runs across the last 10 innings.
With the ball, Brad Evans will be expected to continue his impressive form as he has taken 17 wickets in the last ten matches. Blessing Muzarabani will also be responsible for delivering a brilliant fast bowling attack, who took 117 wickets in 99 games in his T20 career.
Zimbabwe Predicted Playing XI:
Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Wessly Madhevere, Sikandar Raza ©, Ryan Burl, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Kundai Matigimu, Blessing Muzarabani
PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
HR Temp Rain W. speed W. direction Clouds 00h 26 0 mm. 3.56 k/h From: SSE 86% 03h 27 0 mm. 3.27 k/h From: SE 90% 06h 29 0 mm. 2.29 k/h From: SE 86% 09h 31 0 mm. 3.99 k/h From: NW 0% 12h 30 0 mm. 9.4 k/h From: NNW 97% 15h 30 0 mm. 4.18 k/h From: NE 2% 18h 30 0 mm. 1.47 k/h From: NE 1% 21h 29 0 mm. 1.86 k/h From: ESE 4%
Weather Conditions
Mostly sunny conditions are expected at Sharjah Cricket Stadium throughout the day, with temperatures likely to range between 33°C and 28°C.
AFG vs ZIM Pitch Report
Sharjah International Cricket Stadium, Sharjah Pitch Report Pitch Condition Balanced Batting Conditions Moderate Scoring Pace Bowling Pace Bounce Spin Bowling High Turn
The track at Sharjah Cricket Stadium is traditionally slow and low, featuring a hard, compact surface that offers good early bounce and carry for fast bowlers with the new ball before turning dry. Additionally, spinners play a massive role during the middle overs as the surface starts to grip and turn from both ends. However, batting conditions will be balanced there. The average first-innings score at this venue stands at around 150, and anything over 170 can be a match-winning total in this match.
Toss: To Bat
The conditions at this venue generally prefer to bat first and posting a good total, as chasing a big total can become tricky. Therefore, the captain winning the toss is expected to choose to bat first.
