Zimbabwe National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline: Complete History, Stats and Records (2009–2025)

The Zimbabwe national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline is one of international cricket’s most revealing power-shift stories. Two Full ICC Members, two contrasting journeys, and more than 57 completed matches across all three formats. Afghanistan dominate T20Is and ODIs convincingly. Zimbabwe hold their own in Test cricket. The rivalry began in 2009 in ICC qualifying events and has grown into a genuine, statistically rich contest that now includes five Tests, over thirty ODIs, and twenty-one T20 Internationals. This complete timeline covers every bilateral series, all five Tests in full detail, head-to-head records by format, highest and lowest totals, biggest victories, top run-scorers, leading wicket-takers, Man of the Match data, and key turning points.

Table of Contents

1. Quick Answer
2. Year-by-Year Timeline Table
3. Head-to-Head by Format
4. All Bilateral Series Results
5. Highest Team Totals
6. Lowest Team Totals
7. Biggest Victories
8. Highest Partnerships
9. Top Run-Scorers
10. Top Wicket-Takers
11. Man of the Match Awards
12. Venue-by-Venue Record
13. All 5 Tests -Full Detail
14. Key Turning Points
15. 5 Things This Rivalry Reveals
16. FAQ

Their first recorded meetings were in ICC qualifying competitions in 2009, with Zimbabwe winning comfortably. The first bilateral ODI series was held in Bulawayo in 2014, ending in a 2–2 draw -the last time Zimbabwe avoided a series defeat against Afghanistan for several years. Through October 2025, Afghanistan led the overall head-to-head record across all formats. The Test record, however, is level at 2 wins each, with one draw across five Tests -making Test cricket the most competitive dimension of the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan rivalry.

Year-by-Year Timeline

This section provides the most complete year-by-year breakdown of the Zimbabwe national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline, covering every bilateral series from first contact through the 2025 Harare Test.

Complete Chronological Table (2009–2025)

Year	Event	Venue	Result
2009	ICC qualifying events -first meetings	Various	Zimbabwe won
2014	First bilateral ODI series	Bulawayo	Drawn 2–2
2015	First bilateral T20I series	Bulawayo	Afghanistan won 2–0
2016	T20I and ODI matches	Nagpur / Sharjah	Afghanistan won both
2017–18	ODI series (4 matches)	UAE	Afghanistan won 4–1
2017–18	T20I series	UAE	Afghanistan won 2–0
2020–21	First-ever Test series (2 Tests)	Abu Dhabi	Drawn 1–1
2021	T20I and ODI series	Abu Dhabi	Afghanistan swept both 3–0
2022	T20I and ODI series	Harare	Afghanistan swept both 3–0
Dec 2024	T20I series	Harare	Afghanistan won 2–1
Dec 2024	ODI series	Harare	Afghanistan won 2–0 (1 NR)
Dec 2024–Jan 2025	Test series (2 Tests)	Bulawayo	Afghanistan won 1–0 (1 drawn)
Oct 2025	One-off Test	Harare	Zimbabwe won -innings and 73 runs
Oct–Nov 2025	T20I series (3 matches)	Harare	Afghanistan won 3–0

What the Timeline Shows

The Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan cricket history divides into four distinct eras. Zimbabwe were dominant pre-2014 during qualifying phases. Afghanistan established T20I and ODI superiority between 2015 and 2022. From 2024 onward, the contest sharpened -Zimbabwe won a T20I for the first time since 2019 and produced their most dominant Test performance of the modern era in October 2025.

Head-to-Head by Format

Afghanistan lead the all-time head-to-head record across limited-overs formats. The Test record tells a different story.

Format-by-Format Breakdown

Format	Matches	Afghanistan Won	Zimbabwe Won	Drawn / NR
Tests	5	2	2	1
ODIs	30+	Majority	Minority	1 NR
T20Is	~21	19	2	0

Afghanistan’s T20I record against Zimbabwe -approximately 19 wins from 21 matches -is among the most one-sided records between any two Full Member nations in the format. Zimbabwe’s two T20I wins both came at Harare Sports Club: once in December 2024 (4-wicket win off the last ball) and once in a 2019 Asia Cup qualifier. Most casual fans assume Afghanistan dominate Zimbabwe across all formats. The reality is more nuanced: the Test record is dead level at 2–2, and Zimbabwe’s innings-and-73-run win in October 2025 was a three-day demolition -not a narrow escape. The gap exists firmly in T20Is, it is nearly closed in red-ball cricket.

All Bilateral Series Results

Complete Series History Table

Series	Format	Venue	Winner	Result
2014	ODI	Bulawayo	Drawn	2–2
2015–16	T20I	Bulawayo	Afghanistan	2–0
2016	T20I + ODI	Nagpur / Sharjah	Afghanistan	Won both
2017–18	ODI	UAE	Afghanistan	4–1
2017–18	T20I	UAE	Afghanistan	2–0
2021	T20I	Abu Dhabi	Afghanistan	3–0
2021	ODI	Abu Dhabi	Afghanistan	3–0
2022	T20I	Harare	Afghanistan	3–0
2022	ODI	Harare	Afghanistan	3–0
Dec 2024	T20I	Harare	Afghanistan	2–1
Dec 2024	ODI	Harare	Afghanistan	2–0
Dec 2024–Jan 2025	Test	Bulawayo	Afghanistan	1–0 (1 drawn)
Oct 2025	Test	Harare	Zimbabwe	Won by innings
Oct–Nov 2025	T20I	Harare	Afghanistan	3–0

Key Series Insight

The 2017–18 ODI series was the first time Afghanistan won more than 3 matches in a bilateral ODI series against Zimbabwe. Afghanistan posted 333/5 in the first ODI -confirming that their batting depth had grown beyond reliance on two or three individuals. The 2022 double whitewash (T20I and ODI, both 3–0 in Harare) remains Afghanistan’s most complete bilateral performance on Zimbabwean soil.

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Highest Team Totals

Tests

Score	Team	Venue	Date
699	Afghanistan	Bulawayo	Dec 2024
586	Zimbabwe	Bulawayo	Dec 2024

The Bulawayo drawn Test of December 2024 produced both the highest and second-highest team totals in the entire Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan cricket head-to-head record. Afghanistan’s 699 is their highest Test innings in history. The combined 1,285 runs across two innings is one of the highest totals in a single non-Ashes Test anywhere in the world.

T20Is (Highest Scores per Team)

Score	Team	Venue	Date
215/6	Afghanistan	Sharjah	Jan 10, 2016
198/5	Afghanistan	Abu Dhabi	Mar 17, 2021
197/5	Afghanistan	Mirpur	Sep 14, 2019
190/7	Zimbabwe	Bulawayo	Oct 28, 2015

Zimbabwe’s highest T20I total against Afghanistan –190/7 -was set in the same match where Afghanistan scored 191/5, winning off the last ball. It remains the closest completed T20I between the two sides.

Lowest Team Totals

ODIs

Zimbabwe’s 54 all out while chasing 287 in the 2nd ODI at Harare in December 2024 is the lowest team total in this rivalry across any format in a completed ODI innings. The 232-run margin remains the widest winning margin in the rivalry’s history.

T20Is

Score	Team	Note
~120/9	Zimbabwe	Lowest completed T20I total
~125/8	Afghanistan	Lowest completed T20I total

Neither side has been bowled out for under 100 in a T20I in this rivalry -which reflects the generally competitive nature of the format even when the result margin is large.

Biggest Victories

Format	Winner	Margin	Venue	Date
ODI	Afghanistan	232 runs (ZIM 54 all out)	Harare	Dec 2024
T20I	Afghanistan	81 runs	Sharjah	Jan 10, 2016
Test	Zimbabwe	Innings and 73 runs	Harare	Oct 2025
ODI	Afghanistan	154 runs	Sharjah	Feb 2018
Test	Zimbabwe	10 wickets	Abu Dhabi	Mar 2021
ODI	Afghanistan	146 runs	Sharjah	Feb 2018

The Biggest Win -Context

Afghanistan’s 232-run ODI victory in December 2024 stands as the single largest winning margin in the Zimbabwe national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team rivalry. Zimbabwe’s innings-and-73-run Test win at Harare in October 2025 -completed inside three days -is the most dominant match performance by either side in Test cricket.

Highest Partnerships

Tests

Wicket	Runs	Partners	Team	Venue	Date
3rd	364	Rahmat Shah + Hashmatullah Shahidi	Afghanistan	Bulawayo	Dec 2024
8th	187	Sean Williams + Donald Tiripano	Zimbabwe	Abu Dhabi	Mar 2021
7th	132	Rahmat Shah + Ismat Alam	Afghanistan	—	—
1st	91	PS Masvaure + KT Kasuza	Zimbabwe	Abu Dhabi	Mar 2021

The 364-run third-wicket partnership between Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi in the Bulawayo Test is the highest partnership in the history of this rivalry and an Afghanistan Test record. It was the foundation on which Afghanistan built their 699 total.

Top Run-Scorers

Player	Team	Format	Notable Score
Hashmatullah Shahidi	Afghanistan	Test	246 (Bulawayo, Dec 2024)
Rahmat Shah	Afghanistan	Test + ODI	Part of 364-run stand
Sikandar Raza	Zimbabwe	ODI + All formats	141 (ODI)
Sean Williams	Zimbabwe	Test + ODI	154 (ODI)
Mohammad Shahzad	Afghanistan	ODI + T20I	131 (ODI)

Top Batting Performance

Hashmatullah Shahidi’s 246 in the Bulawayo Test (December 2024) is the highest individual score in the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan cricket timeline and the highest innings ever played by an Afghanistan batter in Test cricket. Sikandar Raza is Zimbabwe’s most consistent run-scorer against Afghanistan across all formats -his contributions in tight chases have won Zimbabwe several close bilateral matches.

Top Wicket-Takers

T20Is

Player	Team	T20I Wickets	Span
Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	20	2015–2025
Mujeeb Ur Rahman	Afghanistan	10	2018–2025
Blessing Muzarabani	Zimbabwe	10	2018–2025

Tests

Player	Team	Test Wickets (vs Zimbabwe)	Best Figures
Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	11/275 (2021), 11/160 (Jan 2025)	7/66

ODIs

Player	Team	ODI Wickets	Average
Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	17 (24 matches)	14.58

The Rashid Khan Factor

Rashid Khan is the most impactful individual in the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan cricket head-to-head across all three formats. His match figures of 11/160 in the second Bulawayo Test (January 2025) made him the first bowler since Dale Steyn in 2007 to record consecutive 10-wicket match hauls in Tests -both achieved against Zimbabwe (11/275 in 2021 and 11/160 in 2025). In T20Is, his 20 wickets from approximately 21 matches is the highest by any bowler in this rivalry. When Rashid Khan does not play -as in the October 2025 Harare Test, where he was rested for fitness reasons -Afghanistan’s bowling attack loses its primary wicket-taking threat, and the match result reflects it.

Man of the Match Awards

Match	Award Winner	Team	Key Performance
1st Test, Abu Dhabi 2021	Sean Williams	Zimbabwe	Bat and bowl
2nd Test, Abu Dhabi 2021	Hashmatullah Shahidi	Afghanistan	Batting -match-winning
1st Test, Bulawayo Dec 2024	Rahmat Shah	Afghanistan	364-run partnership
2nd Test, Bulawayo Jan 2025	Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	11/160
Only Test, Harare Oct 2025	Blessing Muzarabani	Zimbabwe	Pace bowling -match-winning

Pattern in the Awards

Afghanistan’s Man of the Match awards skew toward batters in drawn Tests and Rashid Khan in decisive Tests. Zimbabwe’s match-winning performances have consistently come from all-rounders (Sean Williams) and pace bowlers (Blessing Muzarabani) -players who contribute across both innings. This pattern reflects each team’s structural strength: Afghanistan win Tests with batting depth, Zimbabwe win Tests with seam bowling on responsive surfaces.

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Venue-by-Venue Record

Venue	Format	Matches	AFG Won	ZIM Won
Harare Sports Club	T20I	~12	~10	2
Harare Sports Club	ODI	~9	~8	1
Harare Sports Club	Test	1	0	1
Abu Dhabi	Test	2	1	1
Abu Dhabi	T20I	3	3	0
Sharjah	T20I	4	4	0
Sharjah	ODI	2+	All	0
Bulawayo	Test	2	1	0 (1 drawn)

The Venue Reality

Zimbabwe have never won a T20I or ODI against Afghanistan outside Zimbabwe. Every bilateral win Zimbabwe held in this rivalry -including both Test victories -was recorded either at Harare or in Abu Dhabi. Afghanistan have never lost a T20I or ODI played in Sharjah against Zimbabwe -a record that runs across four T20Is and multiple ODI fixtures. Harare is the only ground where Zimbabwe hold any competitive T20I record, and even there Afghanistan lead 10–2.

All 5 Tests -Full Detail

#	Venue	Dates	Winner	Margin	Man of Match
1	Abu Dhabi	Mar 2–3, 2021	Zimbabwe	10 wickets	Sean Williams
2	Abu Dhabi	Mar 10–14, 2021	Afghanistan	6 wickets	Hashmatullah Shahidi
3	Bulawayo	Dec 26–30, 2024	Drawn	—	Rahmat Shah
4	Bulawayo	Jan 2–6, 2025	Afghanistan	72 runs	Rashid Khan
5	Harare	Oct 20–22, 2025	Zimbabwe	Innings and 73 runs	Blessing Muzarabani

Test Series Analysis

The Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan Test record stands at 2 wins each with one draw -the most balanced dimension of the entire rivalry. The drawn Test in Bulawayo (December 2024) was a statistical spectacle: Zimbabwe’s 586 followed by Afghanistan’s 699 meant neither side could bowl the other out twice. The two Bulawayo Tests combined produced more than 2,100 runs across four innings. Rashid Khan was rested for the October 2025 Harare Test as a precautionary fitness measure. His absence was significant -Afghanistan collapsed for 127 and 159 against Muzarabani’s pace on a surface with early movement. Zimbabwe’s 406 in reply sealed a three-day victory, their fastest Test win against Afghanistan.

Key Turning Points

2015 -First T20I Bilateral Win

Afghanistan’s 2-0 T20I series win in Bulawayo was the first bilateral series win for Afghanistan over a Full Member on that team’s home soil. Rashid Khan made his ODI debut around this period against Zimbabwe -a detail that anchors the beginning of his dominance in this rivalry.

2017–18 -ODI Series 4-1

Afghanistan’s most comprehensive ODI series win at that stage confirmed that their batting lineup had developed beyond match-day reliance on a single batter. Posting 333/5 in an ODI in Sharjah was a benchmark performance in Afghan cricket history.

December 2024 -Zimbabwe 54 All Out

Zimbabwe’s dismissal for 54 chasing 287 in the Harare ODI was the lowest point in their bilateral ODI record against Afghanistan. It came in the same tour where Zimbabwe had won the T20I series opener -which makes the ODI capitulation a sharper contrast.

January 2025 -Rashid Khan’s 11/160

Rashid’s back-to-back 10-wicket Test hauls against the same opponent -2021 and 2025, both in this rivalry -is a statistical landmark that places him in elite historical company. His figures in the 2nd Bulawayo Test effectively decided a tightly balanced series.

October 2025 -Zimbabwe’s Innings Victory

Zimbabwe bowled Afghanistan out for 127 and 159 at Harare in a three-day innings win. This was Zimbabwe’s most complete Test performance of the modern era and the first home Test win against Afghanistan. The context that Rashid Khan did not play is important -it does not diminish Zimbabwe’s performance, but it informs the full reading of the result.

5 Things This Rivalry Reveals About Modern Cricket

1. Format shapes the result more than rankings -Afghanistan’s 19-2 T20I record and 2-2 Test record against the same opponent within the same years prove that format context overrides team-level comparisons. The Zimbabwe national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team dynamic looks entirely different depending on which format you examine.
2. One bowler can define an entire head-to-head –Rashid Khan’s back-to-back 10-wicket Test match hauls, his 20 T20I wickets, and his 17 ODI wickets at 14.58 against Zimbabwe make him the most decisive individual in the rivalry. His absence in October 2025 directly correlates with Afghanistan’s heaviest Test defeat.
3. Home conditions are Zimbabwe’s only buffer -Every win Zimbabwe holds against Afghanistan in this rivalry came either at Harare or Abu Dhabi. They have never won a T20I or ODI against Afghanistan at a neutral or away venue.
4. High-scoring Tests can still produce no result -The 1,285 combined runs in the Bulawayo drawn Test is a reminder that scoring 586 or 699 means nothing without the ability to take 20 wickets. Both teams batted well, neither bowled well enough to win.
5. Structural depth, not just talent, decides bilateral series -Afghanistan’s 10 bilateral series wins (from approximately 14 played) against Zimbabwe reflect a consistent national structure built around ICC funding, consistent domestic competition, and multi-format exposure -not just individual brilliance.

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