Afghanistan edge Zimbabwe by five runs in T20 thriller

But the last ball of the game result into the fall of the wicket of LM Jongwe and Afghanistan recording its first victory of the two-match T20I series by 6 runs. The One-Day International series began with Afghanistan winning the first two matches.

However, the 27-year-old had no answer for Waller, who hit 49 runs from 37 deliveries as Zimbabwe required 21 runs in the final over for a late victory. It was a controversial finish, however, after Dawlat Zadran, Afghanistan seamer, was allowed to keep bowling the final over despite having sent down two waist-high full tosses. While Zadran picked up three wickets, Hamza was economical, conceding just 23 runs in four overs.

Afghanistan had earlier won the toss and chosen to bat, making 187-7 in their 20 overs.

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (capt), Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Chamu Chibhabha, Tendai Chisoro, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva, Wellington Masakadza, Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Tauari Muzarabani, Tinashe Panyangara, Malcolm Waller, Peter Moor.

The Twenty20 series between the two sides gets under way at Sharjah on Friday.

Thousands of jubilant fans danced in the streets and fired into the air in cities and towns across the country as Afghanistan defeated Zimbabwe to take the series 3-2 on Wednesday, pushing the team into the top 10 for one-day worldwide rankings.

Squads: Afghanistan: Asghar Stanikzai (C), Dawlat Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mirwais Ashraf, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Rashid Khan, Samiullah Shenwari, Shafiqullah Shafiq, Yamin Ahmadzai, Amir Hamza, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Sadiq, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Nawroz Mangal, Rahmat Shah, Rokhan Barakzai, Sayed Shirzad, Usman Ghani, Nawaz Khan.