AFG vs ZIM Today Match Prediction & Fantasy Team – Who Will Win Today’s Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I? – Afghanistan v Zimbabwe 2026

Afghanistan have won their last five T20Is against Zimbabwe. Now they bring Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to a slow Sharjah pitch, and Zimbabwe’s batters may need more than one plan to survive them.

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AFG vs ZIM Match Preview

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe start their three-match T20I series in Sharjah. For this AFG vs ZIM match prediction, Afghanistan start as favourites, with five straight T20I wins against Zimbabwe.

Ibrahim Zadran leads Afghanistan in this series and also leads their batting, with 271 runs in his last 8 T20Is. With the ball, Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai have 12 wickets each in the same period.

Zimbabwe’s biggest weapon is Brad Evans, who has 17 wickets in his last 10 T20Is, the most of anyone in this match. That makes him and Rashid two of the top names in any AFG vs ZIM fantasy prediction.

AFG vs ZIM Match Details

Here are the key details for the AFG vs ZIM 1st T20I.

AFG vs ZIM Pitch Report – Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Sharjah has mostly played slow and low in recent men’s T20Is. The ball holds in the pitch, so cutters, slower balls and spin are hard to hit.

Players have said that 140 to 160 can be a winning score on these slower pitches. But Sharjah can also surprise. On a hard, fresh pitch, the UAE once chased 206 against Bangladesh here.

Teams batting first have won 44 of the 75 international T20s at this ground. The first-innings average is 145, while the second-innings average drops to 123, which shows that chasing is usually harder here.

Read Also: How to Read a Cricket Pitch Report Before a Match: A Beginner’s Guide to Predicting Outcomes

AFG vs ZIM Weather Report – Sharjah

The forecast for Tuesday in Sharjah is hot and mostly dry, with only a 5% chance of rain. It will be around 33°C during the day and still warm at about 28°C at night. A warm, humid evening could bring some dew later in the game.

AFG vs ZIM Recent Form

The recent T20I results of both teams provide some context ahead of the series opener.

Data Source: ESPNcricinfo

AFG vs ZIM Head-to-Head Record

Afghanistan have dominated this matchup, winning their last five T20Is against Zimbabwe.

Data Source: ESPNcricinfo

AFG vs ZIM Probable Playing XI

The probable playing XIs for the 1st T20I are as follows.

Afghanistan:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran (C), Sediqullah Atal, Shahidullah Kamal, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Tarakhil

Zimbabwe:

Ben Curran, Tadiwanashe Marumani (WK), Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza (C), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Innocent Kaia, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri

Top Picks for AFG vs ZIM Fantasy Prediction

These players stand out based on their recent performances and current statistics.

Top Batting Picks

• Ibrahim Zadran (AFG, BAT) — 271 runs in his last 8 T20Is at an average of 38.71. The top run-scorer in this contest.
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG, BAT/WK) — 227 runs in his last 8 T20Is at a strike rate of 141.87. The fastest scorer on either side.
• Ryan Burl (ZIM, BAT) — 223 runs in his last 10 T20Is at an average of 31.86. Zimbabwe’s top run-scorer in this period.
• Brian Bennett (ZIM, BAT) — 197 runs in his last 10 T20Is at a strike rate of 131.33.

Top Bowling Picks

• Brad Evans (ZIM, ALL/BOWL) — 17 wickets in his last 10 T20Is, taking a wicket every 12.82 balls. The leading wicket-taker in this contest.
• Rashid Khan (AFG, BOWL) — 12 wickets in his last 8 T20Is at an economy of 7.4. Very hard to score off on a slow Sharjah pitch.
• Azmatullah Omarzai (AFG, ALL) — 12 wickets in his last 7 T20Is, taking a wicket every 9.91 balls.
• Blessing Muzarabani (ZIM, BOWL) — 7 wickets in his last 9 T20Is at an economy of 7.86.

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Fantasy Captain and Vice-Captain Choices

For Fantasy Team 1

• Rashid Khan (C): He has 12 wickets in his last 8 T20Is at an economy of 7.4. Slow Sharjah pitches suit his leg-spin, and he can also hit a few big shots lower down.
• Azmatullah Omarzai (VC): He has 12 wickets in his last 7 T20Is and takes a wicket almost every 10 balls. He also bats in the middle order, so he can earn points in two ways.

For Fantasy Team 2

• Brad Evans (C): He has 17 wickets in his last 10 T20Is, more than anyone in this match. Most people will pick Rashid as captain, so Evans gives you a real edge if he takes wickets again.
• Ibrahim Zadran (VC): He has 271 runs in his last 8 T20Is, the most of any batter here. He opens the batting and captains Afghanistan, so he should face plenty of balls.

AFG vs ZIM D11 Fantasy Team 1

A safe team built around Afghanistan’s strong spin attack and top order.

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AFG vs ZIM D11 Fantasy Team 2

A riskier team with Zimbabwe’s top wicket-taker as captain, for grand leagues.

AFG vs ZIM Toss Prediction

Toss Prediction: Bat first

Teams batting first have won 44 of 75 T20s here, and the second-innings average drops from 145 to 123. Slow Sharjah pitches get harder to bat on as the game goes on. With Rashid, Noor and Mujeeb in the side, Afghanistan in particular would love to defend a total. Dew is the only risk later in the evening.

Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Today Match Prediction

Prediction: Afghanistan to Win

Afghanistan have won their last five T20Is against Zimbabwe, and three quality spinners on a slow pitch is a big advantage. Ibrahim Zadran and Gurbaz can also give them a solid start.

Zimbabwe have a real threat in Brad Evans, and Sikandar Raza can change a game on his own. But Afghanistan’s spin attack should be too much for them here.