AFG vs ZIM Fantasy Team Prediction Today Match 2nd Test: Playing XI, Pitch Report, Fantasy Cricket Tips, Today Captain And Vice-Captain Choices – Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe In UAE, 2026

Pre-toss notice: This is a provisional editorial draft. The toss and final playing XIs are not confirmed. Check the official XI before making any fantasy selection. Editorial roles below are not app roles or credit claims.

Match Preview

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe meet in the second Test at Sharjah Cricket Stadium from 13 to 17 November 2026. The first Test at the same venue was drawn. Zimbabwe made 504 and 523/5. Afghanistan made 514. The scorecard is available on ESPNcricinfo.

The first Test gave batting a clear edge. Craig Ervine scored 206 not out. Wessly Madhevere made 100 not out. Brendan Taylor scored 131 and 82. Afghanistan’s best scores came from Rahmat Shah with 173, Rahmanullah with 113 and Sediqullah Atal with 105. These figures come from the Cricinfo first-Test report.

The AFG vs ZIM Fantasy Team Prediction should therefore start with top-order batters and players who can affect more than one phase. Readers comparing an AFG vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction Today Match 2nd Test should use the same evidence. The first Test also produced wickets for Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad and Newman Nyamhuri. Their roles still matter if the second surface offers a little more help.

Match Details

Cricinfo’s match centre lists the venue, Test number, local hours and match days. The Afghanistan Cricket Board schedule also lists the second Test for 13 to 17 November at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Afghanistan Team Form

Afghanistan showed strong first-innings batting. Rahmat Shah led the score with 173. Rahmanullah and Sediqullah Atal also passed 100. Mohammad Saleem and Qais Ahmad were the main wicket-taking options in the first innings. The Cricinfo day-four report supports these returns.

Zimbabwe Team Form

Zimbabwe’s batting was deep and productive. Ervine and Madhevere remained unbeaten in the second innings. Taylor and Bennett also made large scores. Nyamhuri was the best Zimbabwe wicket-taker. The Cricinfo final report says the match ended as a draw because the surface offered little assistance to bowlers.

Pitch Report

The first Test was played at this venue in the same format. The surface was described as flat and unresponsive. It produced three totals above 500 and seven individual hundreds. The new ball gave the clearest chance of help. This supports a top-order batting build, but a long Test can still bring spinners and fast bowlers into play. No T20 or ODI pitch average is used here. Read the first-Test pitch evidence before changing the balance after the toss.

Head To Head

This is a Test-only sample of the latest five meetings, not a full historical record. The latest five listed by Cricinfo are: the first-Test draw on 5 November 2026; Zimbabwe’s innings-and-73-run win on 20 October 2025; Afghanistan’s 72-run win on 2 January 2025; a draw on 26 December 2024; and Afghanistan’s six-wicket win on 10 March 2021.

The recent sample is balanced. The current venue result adds strong evidence for batting depth and patience rather than a simple team-strength call.

Probable Playing XIs

Afghanistan: Ikram Alikhil is the provisional wicketkeeper. Abdul Malik and Sediqullah Atal are the opening options. Rahmanullah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmat Shah form the main batting group. Ismat Alam and Shahidullah are the all-round options. Zia-ur-Rehman, Mohammad Saleem and Qais Ahmad are the leading bowling options. Khalil Gurbaz, Yamin Ahmadzai and Ziaur Rahman remain selection alternatives. This is based on the final Afghanistan Test squad, not a confirmed XI.

Zimbabwe: Tadiwanashe Marumani is the provisional wicketkeeper. Ben Curran and Innocent Kaia are opening options. Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor and Brian Bennett lead the experienced batting group. Wessly Madhevere and Antum Naqvi add all-round cover. Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri, Graeme Cremer and Brad Evans are the main bowling options. Tafadzwa Tsiga, Kundai Matigimu, Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa and Ernest Masuku are alternatives. The pool comes from the dated Zimbabwe Test squad. Richard Ngarava is not in that squad page. His match-specific status is not independently confirmed here.

Six Provisional Fantasy Scenario Teams

These six AFG vs ZIM Hero11 Team scenarios are editorial combinations. They also show an AFG vs ZIM Best Dream11 Team approach built around role and match script. They use verified Test squad names. They do not claim app credits, app eligibility or confirmed playing XIs. Use the final XI at the toss.

Team 1: Flat-Pitch Batting Core

The first-Test batting pattern repeats and both top orders produce long innings.

View Player Names And Roles

WK: Ikram Alikhil, Brendan Taylor

BAT: Rahmanullah, Sediqullah Atal, Craig Ervine, Ben Curran

AR: Rahmat Shah, Brian Bennett

BOWL: Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Newman Nyamhuri

Captain: Rahmat Shah · Vice-Captain: Craig Ervine

Risk: A repeat of the flat pitch may reduce wicket returns from the bowling picks.

Team 2: Zimbabwe Top-Order Control

Zimbabwe’s experienced batters control the match while Bennett and Nyamhuri add multi-phase cover.

View Player Names And Roles

WK: Brendan Taylor, Afsar Zazai

BAT: Craig Ervine, Ben Curran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah

AR: Brian Bennett, Rahmat Shah

BOWL: Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri, Mohammad Saleem

Captain: Brendan Taylor · Vice-Captain: Newman Nyamhuri

Risk: The build loses value if Afghanistan’s new ball removes Zimbabwe’s top order early.

Team 3: Afghanistan First-Innings Pressure

Afghanistan’s first-innings batting strength combines with its two main first-Test wicket takers.

View Player Names And Roles

WK: Ikram Alikhil

BAT: Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Sediqullah Atal, Innocent Kaia, Craig Ervine

AR: Rahmat Shah, Brian Bennett

BOWL: Qais Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Graeme Cremer

Captain: Sediqullah Atal · Vice-Captain: Qais Ahmad

Risk: The plan needs Afghanistan’s batting order to hold and the spinners to get more help than in the draw.

Team 4: New-Ball Wicket Script

The second Test offers more early movement and fast bowlers decide the first innings.

View Player Names And Roles

WK: Brendan Taylor, Afsar Zazai

BAT: Rahmanullah, Abdul Malik, Craig Ervine

AR: Brian Bennett, Rahmat Shah, Brad Evans

BOWL: Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri, Mohammad Saleem

Captain: Blessing Muzarabani · Vice-Captain: Brian Bennett

Risk: This is exposed if the surface again stays flat and the match becomes a batting marathon.

Team 5: Spin And Patience

Long innings create time for the spin options to attack late in each innings.

View Player Names And Roles

WK: Tadiwanashe Marumani

BAT: Hashmatullah Shahidi, Sediqullah Atal, Ben Curran, Craig Ervine

AR: Rahmat Shah, Zia-ur-Rehman, Wessly Madhevere

BOWL: Qais Ahmad, Graeme Cremer, Wellington Masakadza

Captain: Craig Ervine · Vice-Captain: Zia-ur-Rehman

Risk: The spinners may be forced into defensive workloads if the pitch offers no turn.

Team 6: Balanced Draw Cover

Both teams make substantial totals and the selection spreads batting and bowling risk across the match.

View Player Names And Roles

WK: Ikram Alikhil, Brendan Taylor

BAT: Rahmanullah, Abdul Malik, Ben Curran, Craig Ervine

AR: Rahmat Shah, Brian Bennett

BOWL: Yamin Ahmadzai, Graeme Cremer, Newman Nyamhuri

Captain: Brian Bennett · Vice-Captain: Rahmat Shah

Risk: A balanced draw build can miss the upside of a one-sided bowling performance.

Captain And Vice-Captain Choices

Rahmat Shah is the safest editorial captain route because he scored 173 in the first Test and is listed as an all-rounder in the squad. His value depends on batting position and any leg-spin workload.

Craig Ervine is a strong batting captain option after his unbeaten 206. He is a specialist batter in the cited squad. A captain pick on him needs Zimbabwe to bat long again.

Brendan Taylor scored 131 and 82 in the first Test. He offers a high-ceiling batting choice, but his selection depends on the final wicketkeeper plan.

Brian Bennett made 128 and is listed as Zimbabwe’s all-rounder captain. He can suit a balanced scenario. His bowling involvement is not guaranteed.

Mohammad Saleem and Newman Nyamhuri are bowling vice-captain options when the pitch or new ball looks more helpful. Their risk is lower opportunity if the surface repeats the first Test’s slow assistance.

Player Battles

Rahmat Shah vs Graeme Cremer

Rahmat Shah scored 173 in the first Test. Cremer took three wickets in that match. This is a patient batter against a leg-spinner who can attack with flight and changes of angle.

Craig Ervine vs Qais Ahmad

Ervine made 206 not out in the second innings. Qais took three wickets in Zimbabwe’s first innings. The battle could turn on whether Ervine sweeps safely or Qais finds a mistake outside the batter’s scoring zone.

Brendan Taylor vs Mohammad Saleem

Taylor scored 131 and 82. Saleem took three first-innings wickets and dismissed Taylor’s opening partner Ben Curran in that innings. Saleem’s new-ball and hard-length spells are the main threat to Taylor’s attacking start.

Brian Bennett vs Zia-ur-Rehman

Bennett made 128 in the first innings. Zia-ur-Rehman took two wickets in that innings but conceded heavily across the match. Bennett can pressure spin. Zia needs control as well as turn.

Key Players

Rahmat Shah: Afghanistan’s captain made 173 in the first Test. He is listed as an all-rounder. His bowling workload is uncertain.

Craig Ervine: His unbeaten 206 was the biggest second-innings score. He is a specialist middle-order batter. The risk is that a different match situation gives him fewer balls.

Brendan Taylor: He scored 131 and 82. His experience suits a long innings. His wicketkeeper status should be checked at the toss.

Brian Bennett: He scored 128 and led Zimbabwe in the first Test. His all-rounder label makes him useful for balanced editorial scenarios. Do not assume a fixed bowling quota.

Sediqullah Atal: He made 105 in Afghanistan’s first innings. His opening role can provide early batting opportunity.

Mohammad Saleem: He took three wickets in the first innings and is listed as a fast bowler. His upside rises if the new ball moves.

Newman Nyamhuri: He took five wickets for 82. He is a left-arm fast-medium bowler. His risk is that the flat surface reduces wicket chances.

Winner Prediction

The conditional editorial lean is a draw or a narrow result rather than a confident winner call. If the surface again stays flat and unresponsive, the draw is the stronger reading. If the new ball offers more help and Afghanistan’s spinners control the middle sessions, Afghanistan have a route to pressure. If Zimbabwe’s top order repeats its first-Test output, Zimbabwe can control the match. This is not a guaranteed result.

FAQs

When Is The AFG vs ZIM 2nd Test?

The match is scheduled for 13 to 17 November 2026. It starts at 11:30 AM IST. The local start is 10:00 AM in the UAE.

Where Is The AFG vs ZIM 2nd Test?

The match is at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. The match centre lists it as Test number 2643.

Who Is A Strong Captain Choice For This Fantasy Team?

Rahmat Shah is a strong editorial captain choice after his 173 in the first Test. Craig Ervine and Brendan Taylor are batting alternatives. Confirm the final XI first.

Should The Fantasy Team Change After The Toss?

Yes. Check the wicketkeeper, opening order, bowling combination and any late availability update. Remove players who are not in the confirmed XI. App eligibility and credits must be checked in the chosen app.