AFG vs ZIM 1st Test 2026: Taylor 131 & 82, Ervine 206*, Drawn
Published on November 9, 2026
Summary Overview: The 1st Test between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in Sharjah ended in a draw after seven centuries. Player of the Match Brendan Taylor made 131 and 82, Craig Ervine hit 206 not out, Wessly Madhevere 100 not out, and Rahmat Shah 173 for Afghanistan. The series is level with one Test to play.
Who won? Nobody. The 1st Test at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium ended in a draw. Zimbabwe made 504 and 523 for 5, and Afghanistan made 514.
Who starred? Brendan Taylor made 131 and 82 and was named Player of the Match. Craig Ervine hit 206 not out in the second innings, and Wessly Madhevere made 100 not out.
What about Afghanistan? Captain Rahmat Shah batted for 347 balls to make 173, and Rahmanullah Zadran (113) and Sediqullah Atal (105) also scored centuries.
How many runs were scored? 1,541 runs in total, with only 25 wickets falling and seven centuries in the match.
What does it mean? The two-Test series is level at 0-0, with the 2nd Test, also in Sharjah, starting on Friday, November 13.
The Story: A Batting Feast in Sharjah
For readers new to Test cricket: a Test match lasts up to five days, and each team bats twice. If neither side can bowl the other out twice in that time, the match is a draw. A century is 100 or more runs by one batter in an innings.
Zimbabwe 504: Taylor and Bennett Lead the Way
Zimbabwe captain Brian Bennett won the toss and chose to bat. Innocent Kaia (34) and Ben Curran (42) put on 60 for the first wicket, and Brendan Taylor then took charge. He hit 14 fours and four sixes in 131 off 168 balls, adding 137 with Bennett before Hashmatullah Shahidi had him caught at 262 for 3.
Afghanistan hit back. Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar removed Craig Ervine (4) and Antum Naqvi (9), and Zimbabwe were 287 for 5. But Bennett kept going, adding 96 with Wessly Madhevere (54 off 70) and finishing with 128 off 206, with 11 fours. Tafadzwa Tsiga (44) and Graeme Cremer (34 not out) carried Zimbabwe past 500, and they were all out for 504. Mohammad Saleem Safi took 3 for 82 and Qais Ahmad 3 for 120.
Afghanistan 514: Three Centuries and a Slim Lead
Newman Nyamhuri had Abdul Malik caught for 2, but Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Zadran then batted for 363 balls and added 206. Atal made 105, with three sixes, before Cremer had him caught behind, and Rahmanullah was run out by Madhevere for 113.
Nyamhuri took two wickets in 12 balls, removing Hashmatullah (6) and Shahidullah Kamal (0), and Afghanistan were 275 for 5. Captain Rahmat Shah held the innings together. He shared stands of 65 with Ikram Alikhil (40), 55 with Qais Ahmad (27), and 92 with Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, who made 15 off 99 balls.
Rahmat finally fell for 173 off 347 balls, stumped by Tsiga off Cremer, and Afghanistan were all out for 514, a lead of 10. Nyamhuri finished with 5 for 82, and Tsiga was involved in six dismissals (five catches and a stumping).
Zimbabwe 523 for 5: Ervine and Madhevere Bat Out the Draw
Zia-ur-Rehman struck twice early in Zimbabwe's second innings, and they were 38 for 2. Taylor hit back with 82 off 88, with 11 fours and two sixes, before he was run out at 120 for 3, and Saleem Safi bowled Bennett for 58 at 175 for 4.
From there, Zimbabwe batted Afghanistan out of the game. Craig Ervine added 140 with Antum Naqvi (61), and then an unbroken 208 off 225 balls with Wessly Madhevere. Ervine hit 23 fours in 206 not out off 279 balls, and Madhevere reached 100 not out off 108. Zimbabwe finished on 523 for 5, and the match was drawn.
Turning Point: Ervine's Stands in the Second Innings
At 175 for 4 in their second innings, Zimbabwe were only 165 ahead, and Afghanistan were still in the game. Ervine's stands of 140 with Naqvi and 208 with Madhevere ended any hope of a result.
Stat Corner
Top Performers (Match)
| Player | Team | Performance |
| Brendan Taylor | Zimbabwe | 131 (168) and 82 (88), Player of the Match |
| Craig Ervine | Zimbabwe | 4 and 206* (279), 23 fours, 2 sixes |
| Brian Bennett (c) | Zimbabwe | 128 (206) and 58 |
| Wessly Madhevere | Zimbabwe | 54 and 100* (108), plus a run-out |
| Newman Nyamhuri | Zimbabwe | 5 for 82 in Afghanistan's innings |
| Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk) | Zimbabwe | 44, plus five catches and a stumping |
| Rahmat Shah (c) | Afghanistan | 173 (347), 14 fours, 3 sixes |
| Rahmanullah Zadran | Afghanistan | 113 (188), 12 fours, 1 six |
| Sediqullah Atal | Afghanistan | 105 (213), 6 fours, 3 sixes |
| Mohammad Saleem Safi | Afghanistan | 3 for 82 and 1 for 62 |
| Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar | Afghanistan | 4 for 343 from 96 overs in the match |
* not out
Match Scorecard Summary
| Innings | Score |
| Zimbabwe 1st innings | 504 all out (134.3 overs). Taylor 131, Bennett 128, Madhevere 54, Tsiga 44; Saleem Safi 3/82, Qais 3/120, Zia-ur-Rehman 2/170 |
| Afghanistan 1st innings | 514 all out (169.4 overs). Rahmat Shah 173, Rahmanullah 113, Atal 105, Ikram 40; Nyamhuri 5/82, Cremer 3/177 |
| Zimbabwe 2nd innings | 523 for 5 (122.1 overs). Ervine 206*, Madhevere 100*, Taylor 82, Naqvi 61, Bennett 58; Zia-ur-Rehman 2/173 |
Result: Match drawn. Player of the Match: Brendan Taylor.
The Seven Centuries
| Batter | Team | Score | Innings |
| Craig Ervine | Zimbabwe | 206* (279) | 2nd |
| Rahmat Shah | Afghanistan | 173 (347) | 1st |
| Brendan Taylor | Zimbabwe | 131 (168) | 1st |
| Brian Bennett | Zimbabwe | 128 (206) | 1st |
| Rahmanullah Zadran | Afghanistan | 113 (188) | 1st |
| Sediqullah Atal | Afghanistan | 105 (213) | 1st |
| Wessly Madhevere | Zimbabwe | 100* (108) | 2nd |
How the Match Turned
| Moment | Score |
| Taylor and Bennett stand | 137 for the 3rd wicket |
| Zia-ur-Rehman's double strike | Zimbabwe 262 for 3 to 287 for 5 |
| Zimbabwe total | 504 all out |
| Atal and Rahmanullah stand | 206 off 363 balls for the 2nd wicket |
| Nyamhuri's two quick wickets | Afghanistan 251 for 3 to 275 for 5 |
| Rahmat and Zia-ur-Rehman stand | 92 off 237 balls for the 8th wicket |
| Afghanistan lead | 514 all out, 10 ahead |
| Zimbabwe wobble | 175 for 4, lead of 165 |
| Ervine and Madhevere stand | 208* off 225 balls for the 6th wicket |
| Match drawn | Zimbabwe 523 for 5 |
Playing XIs
| Team | Playing XI |
| Afghanistan | Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Rahmanullah Zadran, Rahmat Shah (c), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Shahidullah Kamal, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Qais Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi |
| Zimbabwe | Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett (c), Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine, Antum Naqvi, Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Graeme Cremer, Newman Nyamhuri, Blessing Muzarabani |
What's Next
| Match | Dates | Venue | Local (GST) | UK (GMT) | PKT | IST | Afghanistan | Zimbabwe | ET |
| 2nd Test | Fri, Nov 13 to Tue, Nov 17 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 10:00 AM | 6:00 AM | 11:00 AM | 11:30 AM | 10:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 1:00 AM |
GST is Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4). Afghanistan is on UTC+4:30 and Zimbabwe on CAT (UTC+2). ET is US Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). Times assume the same 10:00 AM start as the 1st Test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe 1st Test 2026?
- Nobody. The match was drawn.
Who was Player of the Match?
- Brendan Taylor, for 131 and 82.
How many centuries were scored?
- Seven: Craig Ervine (206 not out), Rahmat Shah (173), Brendan Taylor (131), Brian Bennett (128), Rahmanullah Zadran (113), Sediqullah Atal (105) and Wessly Madhevere (100 not out).
Who took five wickets?
- Newman Nyamhuri, with 5 for 82 in Afghanistan's innings.
What is the series score?
- Level at 0-0, with one Test to play.
When is the 2nd Test?
- Friday, November 13 to Tuesday, November 17, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
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📋 Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Tri-Series Final 2026: Afghanistan Are Champions
📋 Bangladesh vs West Indies 2nd Test 2026: Towhid Hridoy's 242 Not Out Earns a Draw in Sylhet