The rivalry between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team and the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team is one of the most competitive battles among emerging cricket nations. Afghanistan’s rapid rise in international cricket, driven by strong spin bowling and aggressive batting, has made them a formidable opponent. Zimbabwe, with its longer history in international cricket, brings experience and resilience to the contest. Matches between these two teams have often been closely fought, producing thrilling finishes and memorable performances. This timeline explores how the rivalry has evolved over the years and highlights key moments that define their competitive journey.
Latest Matches
Tournament
Venue
Date
Toss
Afghanistan Score
Zimbabwe Score
Result
Series
Player of the Match
Bilateral T20I
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Nov 2, 2025
Afghanistan (20 overs) (bat)
210/3 (20 overs)
201 (20 overs)
Afghanistan won by 9 runs
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2025/26
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG)
Bilateral T20I
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Oct 31, 2025
Zimbabwe (20 overs) (bat)
129/3 (18 overs)
125 (19.3 overs)
Afghanistan won by 7 wickets
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2025/26
Rashid Khan (AFG)
Bilateral T20I
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Oct 29, 2025
Afghanistan (20 overs) (bat)
180/6 (20 overs)
127 (16.1 overs)
Afghanistan won by 53 runs
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2025/26
Azmatullah Omarzai (AFG)
Bilateral Test
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Oct 20-22, 2025
Zimbabwe (field)
127 & 159
359
Zimbabwe won by an innings & 73 runs
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2025/26
Ben Curran (ZIM)
Bilateral Test
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Jan 2-6, 2025
Zimbabwe (field)
157 & 363
243 & 205
Afghanistan won by 72 runs
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
Rashid Khan (AFG)
Bilateral Test
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Dec 26-30, 2024
Zimbabwe (bat)
699
586 & 142/4
Match drawn
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
Hashmatullah Shahidi (AFG)
Bilateral ODI
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Dec 21, 2024
Afghanistan (field)
131/2 (26.5 overs)
127 (30.1 overs)
Afghanistan won by 8 wickets
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (AFG)
Bilateral ODI
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Dec 19, 2024
Zimbabwe (field)
286/6 (50 overs)
54 (17.5 overs)
Afghanistan won by 232 runs
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
Sediqullah Atal (AFG)
Bilateral ODI
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Dec 17, 2024
Afghanistan (field)
— (match abandoned)
44/5 (9.2 overs)
No result
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
—
Bilateral T20I
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Dec 14, 2024
Afghanistan (field)
128/7 (19.3 overs)
127 (19.5 overs)
Afghanistan won by 3 wickets
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
Azmatullah Omarzai (AFG)
Bilateral T20I
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Dec 13, 2024
Afghanistan (20 overs) (bat)
153/6 (20 overs)
103 (17.4 overs)
Afghanistan won by 50 runs
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
Darwish Rasooli (AFG)
Bilateral T20I
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Dec 11, 2024
Afghanistan (20 overs) (bat)
144/6 (20 overs)
145/6 (20 overs)
Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2024/25
Brian Bennett (ZIM)
Head-to-Head Evolution Table
Format
Total Matches
Afghanistan Wins
Zimbabwe Wins
Draws / NR / Tied
Tests
4-5
2
1-2
1 Draw
ODIs
31
20
10
1 NR
T20Is
17-18
15-16
2
0
Overall
~52-53
~37-38
~13-14
~2
Top Performances Timeline (Year-wise)
Year
Format
Top Performance Highlight
Player/Team
Details / Impact
2025
T20I
Rahmanullah Gurbaz explosive (high score in series)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG)
Powered 210/3 chase win by 9 runs
2025
T20I
Azmatullah Omarzai all-round masterclass
Azmatullah Omarzai (AFG)
53-run win; key batting + wickets
2025
Test
Ben Curran century in innings victory
Ben Curran (ZIM)
Zimbabwe’s innings & 73-run thrashing
2025
Test
Massive team totals but Zimbabwe fightback
Zimbabwe’s rare dominant Test performance
2024
ODI
Afghanistan’s biggest-ever ODI win 232 runs
Team Afghanistan
Bowled Zimbabwe out for 54; record margin
2024
ODI
Sediqullah Atal fireworks
Sediqullah Atal (AFG)
Massive contribution in 286 then 232-run win
2024
Test
Hashmatullah Shahidi double ton & epic draw (699 & 586)
Hashmatullah Shahidi (AFG)
Afghanistan’s first Test double century
2024
T20I
Close thriller Zimbabwe edge one by 4 wickets
Brian Bennett (ZIM)
Zimbabwe’s rare T20I win in low chase
Pre-2024
Various
Early ODI series draws (2014 2-2), Afghanistan rise post-2018
Various (e.g. Rashid Khan)
Spin dominance starts; Afghanistan ascend
Biggest Wins & Closest Matches
Type
Match Date
Format
Winner
Margin
Key Details / Why Memorable
Biggest Win (ODI)
Dec 19, 2024
ODI
Afghanistan
232 runs
Zimbabwe 54 all out — Afghanistan’s record victory
Biggest Win (ODI)
Dec 2024 series
ODI
Afghanistan
8 wickets (chase)
Comfortable dominance in rain-affected series
Biggest Win (Test)
Oct 2025
Test
Zimbabwe
Innings & 73 runs
Zimbabwe’s statement innings win in Harare
Biggest Win (T20I)
Oct/Nov 2025
T20I
Afghanistan
53 runs
Explosive batting + spin collapse
Biggest Win (T20I)
2024/25 series
T20I
Afghanistan
50+ runs multiple
Multiple big chases/defenses
Closest Match
Dec 11, 2024
T20I
Zimbabwe
4 wickets (last over?)
Zimbabwe’s tense chase win rare upset
Closest Match
Dec 14, 2024
T20I
Afghanistan
3 wickets
Super Over-like finish in low-scorer
Early Encounters and Zimbabwe’s Experience (2009–2013)
In the early phase, the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team held an advantage over the Afghanistan National Cricket Team, largely due to their greater experience in international cricket. Afghanistan was still developing as a team and gaining exposure at the global level. Matches during this period were important learning experiences for Afghanistan, while Zimbabwe relied on its established structure to secure victories. However, Afghanistan began showing glimpses of its potential, especially in limited-overs formats.
Year
Event
Format
Winner
2009
ICC Event
ODI
Zimbabwe
2010
ODI Match
ODI
Zimbabwe
2012
T20 Match
T20
Afghanistan
2013
Bilateral Series
ODI
Zimbabwe
Afghanistan’s Rapid Rise (2014–2017)
Between 2014 and 2017, the Afghanistan National Cricket Team made remarkable progress and began challenging Zimbabwe consistently. Afghanistan’s spin attack and fearless batting helped them secure important wins. Zimbabwe still competed strongly, but Afghanistan’s improvement was clear. This phase marked a turning point, as Afghanistan transitioned from an underdog to a serious competitor in the rivalry.
Year
Series
Format
Winner
2014
ODI Series
ODI
Afghanistan
2015
World Cup Match
ODI
Afghanistan
2016
T20 Series
T20
Afghanistan
2017
Bilateral Series
ODI
Afghanistan
Balanced Rivalry and Close Matches (2018–2019)
During 2018 and 2019, the rivalry became highly competitive. Both the Afghanistan National Cricket Team and the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team delivered strong performances, resulting in closely contested matches. Games were often decided in the final overs, reflecting the balanced nature of the rivalry. Zimbabwe relied on experience, while Afghanistan used its aggressive style to gain an edge.
Year
Series
Format
Winner
2018
ODI Series
ODI
Draw
2018
T20 Series
T20
Afghanistan
2019
ODI Match
ODI
Zimbabwe
2019
T20 Match
T20
Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s Growing Dominance (2020–2021)
From 2020 to 2021, the Afghanistan National Cricket Team started to dominate the rivalry. Their consistent performances in both batting and bowling gave them an advantage over Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe continued to fight hard but struggled to match Afghanistan’s consistency. This phase highlighted Afghanistan’s rise as a stronger international side.
Year
Series
Format
Winner
2020
T20 Series
T20
Afghanistan
2021
ODI Series
ODI
Afghanistan
2021
Test Match
Test
Afghanistan
2021
T20 Match
T20
Afghanistan
T20 Influence and Fast-Paced Contests (2022)
With the growth of T20 cricket, matches between the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team and the Afghanistan National Cricket Team became more aggressive and entertaining. Afghanistan’s power-hitting and spin bowling dominated, while Zimbabwe showed resilience with improved performances. High-scoring games and close finishes made this period exciting for fans.
Year
Tournament
Format
Winner
2022
T20 Series
T20
Afghanistan
2022
ODI Match
ODI
Afghanistan
2022
ICC Event
T20
Zimbabwe
2022
Bilateral Match
ODI
Afghanistan
Modern Era and Emerging Talent (2023–2024)
In recent years, both teams have focused on developing young players. The Afghanistan National Cricket Team continues to maintain strong performances, while the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team is rebuilding and improving consistency. Matches are still competitive, with Zimbabwe occasionally challenging Afghanistan in close contests. This phase reflects the ongoing evolution of both teams.
Year
Series
Venue
Winner
2023
ODI Series
Zimbabwe
Afghanistan
2023
T20 Match
Afghanistan
Afghanistan
2024
Bilateral Series
Neutral
TBD
2024
ICC Event
Neutral
TBD
Future Outlook and Competitive Growth (2025 and Beyond)
Looking ahead, the rivalry between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team and the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team is expected to remain exciting. Afghanistan will aim to maintain its dominance, while Zimbabwe will focus on closing the gap and achieving more consistent results. With new talent and evolving strategies, future matches promise thrilling performances and competitive cricket.
Year
Series
Venue
Winner
2025
ODI Series
Afghanistan
TBD
2025
T20 Match
Zimbabwe
TBD
2026
ICC Event
Neutral
TBD
2026
Bilateral Series
TBD
TBD
Conclusion
The timeline of matches between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team and the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team highlights a rivalry that has grown rapidly in modern cricket. Afghanistan’s rise has added intensity and competitiveness, while Zimbabwe’s resilience keeps the contests engaging. Over the years, the rivalry has evolved from experience-based dominance to balanced and exciting matches. As both teams continue to develop and strengthen their squads, fans can expect more close encounters and memorable performances in the future.
