In This Match Preview
Match Preview
Afghanistan meet Zimbabwe in the first T20I. The game is set for 27 October 2026. Sharjah Cricket Stadium will host it.
Afghanistan last played T20Is in September. They beat Japan. They lost to Nepal and India. Zimbabwe lost all three July T20Is against India.
This AFG vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction is a pre-toss guide. The final XIs are not confirmed. Check the team sheets before you choose players.
Afghanistan have Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran. Sediqullah Atal is also in the squad. Zimbabwe have Sikandar Raza, Brian Bennett and Blessing Muzarabani.
The AFG vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction Today Match view is simple. Pick top-order batters and bowlers with clear roles. Check the app roles and credits yourself.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 1st T20I |
| Series | Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe In UAE, 2026 |
| Format | Men’s T20I, 20 overs per side |
| Date | Tuesday, 27 October 2026 |
| Venue | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah |
| Start | 8:00 PM IST |
| Local time | 6:30 PM UAE |
| UTC time | 2:30 PM UTC |
| Status | Future match at the research cutoff |
| XI status | Not confirmed before the toss |
The match time comes from the supplied fixture. The ICC listing also gives 14:30 UTC. The venue name matches the ICC page and the stadium site.
AFG vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction: Team Form — Afghanistan
These are completed men’s T20 or T20I games. They are not ODI results.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 2026 | Nepal | Afghanistan 102/7; Nepal 103/5 | ✕ LOSS by 5 wickets |
| 24 Sep 2026 | Japan | Afghanistan 129/6; Japan 81 | ✓ WIN by 48 runs |
| 17 Sep 2026 | India | India 221/7; Afghanistan 94 | ✕ LOSS by 127 runs |
Afghanistan have a mixed recent T20 record. Their best result here was against Japan. The listed squad has several established players.
Team Form — Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe have three completed T20I results from July. The results below use final scorecards.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul 2026 | India | India 192/5; Zimbabwe 157/7 | ✕ LOSS by 35 runs |
| 25 Jul 2026 | India | India 219/5; Zimbabwe 129 all out | ✕ LOSS by 90 runs |
| 23 Jul 2026 | India | Zimbabwe 125/7; India 126/3 | ✕ LOSS by 7 wickets |
Zimbabwe have not won their latest three T20Is. All three losses came against India. Zimbabwe still have several batting options.
AFG vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction: Pitch Report And Fantasy Impact
Sharjah has a long T20 history. This preview uses a small exact-ground sample. The sample has three men’s T20Is from October 2025.
| Date | Match | First innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct 2025 | Afghanistan vs Bangladesh | Afghanistan 151/9 | Bangladesh won by 4 wickets |
| 3 Oct 2025 | Afghanistan vs Bangladesh | Afghanistan 147/5 | Bangladesh won by 2 wickets |
| 5 Oct 2025 | Afghanistan vs Bangladesh | Afghanistan 143/9 | Bangladesh won by 6 wickets |
All three chases were completed. First innings scores ranged from 143 to 151. This is a small sample. It is not an all-time ground average.
Top-order batters still matter at Sharjah. Bowlers who take wickets also matter. Spinners may help if the surface grips. That part needs a pitch check before the toss.
Do not claim a fixed par score. Do not claim dew or weather facts. The match-day surface can differ from the 2025 sample.
Head-To-Head
The latest completed bilateral T20I came in December 2024. Zimbabwe made 145/6. Afghanistan made 144/6. Zimbabwe won by four wickets in Harare.
At Sharjah the older record favours Afghanistan. The ground list shows four completed Afghanistan versus Zimbabwe T20Is. Afghanistan won all four. Those wins came in 2016 and 2018.
Old results give context only. They do not confirm this match winner. The 2026 squads are also different.
Probable Playing XIs — Not Confirmed
These are editorial candidates. They come from the current T20I squads. They are not announced XIs.
Editorial roles are simple labels. They are not app-confirmed roles. Check the fantasy app before entry.
Afghanistan Probable Playing XI — Not Confirmed
| No. | Player | Editorial role | Evidence note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | WK | Current squad; recent T20I keeper |
| 2 | Ibrahim Zadran | BAT | Current captain; opening batter |
| 3 | Sediqullah Atal | BAT | Current squad; opening batter |
| 4 | Shahidullah | AR | Wider-squad option; recent XI not confirmed |
| 5 | Ijaz Ahmadzai | AR | Current T20I squad option |
| 6 | Azmatullah Omarzai | AR | Current squad; two-skill option |
| 7 | Rashid Khan | AR | Current captaincy and bowling leader |
| 8 | Noor Ahmad | BOWL | Current squad; left-arm wrist spin |
| 9 | Mujeeb Ur Rahman | BOWL | Current squad; off-spin option |
| 10 | Fazalhaq Farooqi | BOWL | Current squad; left-arm pace |
| 11 | Fareed Ahmad | BOWL | Current squad; left-arm pace option |
Mohammad Nabi is not in the current Afghanistan T20I squad. Darwish Rasooli is also not in the current white-ball squads.
Zimbabwe Probable Playing XI — Not Confirmed
| No. | Player | Editorial role | Evidence note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tadiwanashe Marumani | WK | Current squad; recent keeper |
| 2 | Ben Curran | BAT | Recent T20I opener |
| 3 | Brian Bennett | AR | Recent T20I top-order option |
| 4 | Innocent Kaia | BAT | Current squad; expected fit note |
| 5 | Sikandar Raza | AR | Current captain and all-rounder |
| 6 | Ryan Burl | AR | Recent T20I middle-order option |
| 7 | Wessly Madhevere | AR | Current squad; recent T20I player |
| 8 | Blessing Muzarabani | BOWL | Current pace leader |
| 9 | Brad Evans | BOWL | Current pace option |
| 10 | Newman Nyamhuri | BOWL | Current squad; recent T20I player |
| 11 | Wellington Masakadza | BOWL | Current squad; spin option |
Kaia is expected to be fit. That does not confirm his place. Richard Ngarava is not in the announced T20I squad because he is recovering from a back injury.
Six Provisional Scenario Teams
All six teams below are provisional. Each has 11 unique players. Each stays within seven players from one side. The role count is an editorial map only. Team 1 favors recent T20I users. Wider-squad risks are marked above.
Check the final XI. Check app roles. Check credits. Check the 100-credit limit in the app. No app value is claimed here.
Team 1: Balanced Core
A balanced pre-toss mix with both opening attacks and four all-round skill paths.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tadiwanashe Marumani
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Ben Curran
AR: Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Sikandar Raza
BOWL: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Blessing Muzarabani
Captain: Rashid Khan · Vice-Captain: Sikandar Raza
Risk: Final batting order and app roles are not confirmed.
Team 2: Afghanistan Batting Push
Afghanistan’s top order makes the most of a firm surface or a batting-first toss.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tadiwanashe Marumani
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Ben Curran
AR: Shahidullah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sikandar Raza
BOWL: Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Blessing Muzarabani
Captain: Sediqullah Atal · Vice-Captain: Azmatullah Omarzai
Risk: The build needs Afghanistan’s top order to face enough balls.
Team 3: Zimbabwe Response
Zimbabwe answer the recent form gap through their top order and pace attack.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tafadzwa Tsiga
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia
AR: Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Rashid Khan
BOWL: Blessing Muzarabani, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Captain: Sikandar Raza · Vice-Captain: Blessing Muzarabani
Risk: Kaia is expected to be fit but is not a confirmed starter.
Team 4: Spin And Control
Use this slower-surface script only if both teams select their main spin options.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tafadzwa Tsiga
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Ben Curran
AR: Rashid Khan, Sikandar Raza
BOWL: Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani
Captain: Rashid Khan · Vice-Captain: Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Risk: A flat surface can reduce the value of the spin-heavy plan.
Team 5: New-Ball Seam
Use this pace-heavy build if the ball moves early or the bowling-first side has a fresh seam attack.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tadiwanashe Marumani
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia
AR: Sikandar Raza
BOWL: Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad
Captain: Fazalhaq Farooqi · Vice-Captain: Blessing Muzarabani
Risk: Extra bowlers may leave too little top-order batting if the pitch is easy.
Team 6: Afghanistan Control Chase
Afghanistan chase a medium target while Zimbabwe’s pace still takes wickets.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Ben Curran
AR: Shahidullah, Rashid Khan, Sikandar Raza, Wessly Madhevere
BOWL: Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza, Noor Ahmad
Captain: Rashid Khan · Vice-Captain: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Risk: It loses value if Afghanistan bat first and the chase angle never appears.
Captain And Vice-Captain Choices
Rashid Khan: He offers wicket-taking skill. He can also score late runs. His batting place may stay low.
Sediqullah Atal: He opens for Afghanistan. Openers can face many balls. Early pace remains a clear risk.
Sikandar Raza: He can bat and bowl. He leads Zimbabwe. Afghanistan’s spin attack can test him.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz: He keeps wicket and opens. That gives two paths to points. A fast wicket can hurt this choice.
On toss day, remove every non-starter. Check the keeper tag. Check the final batting order. Check who will bowl four overs. Then check app credits. Rotate the captain if his role changes. Rotate the vice-captain if his workload drops. Keep Team 1 only when its recent-role core starts.
Top 3 Player Battles
Sediqullah Atal Against Blessing Muzarabani
Atal is an opening batter. Muzarabani is a new-ball pace option. The first spell can shape this contest. No direct recent ball-by-ball record is claimed here.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz Against Zimbabwe Pace
Gurbaz attacks in the powerplay. Blessing, Brad Evans and Newman Nyamhuri offer pace options. The contest depends on the final XI and bowling plan.
Sikandar Raza Against Afghanistan Spin
Raza can face Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb or Rashid in the middle overs. The exact matchup depends on the batting order. No made-up player-versus-player number is used.
Top Players To Look Out For
Rashid Khan: He can take wickets in the middle overs. His batting role may be smaller.
Ibrahim Zadran: He leads Afghanistan. He also bats near the top. That gives him time at the crease.
Sediqullah Atal: He opens and attacks the new ball. He is a high-upside batting option.
Sikandar Raza: He leads Zimbabwe. He can contribute with bat and ball.
Brian Bennett: He scored 32 in Zimbabwe’s second July T20I. His role depends on the final XI.
Blessing Muzarabani: He leads Zimbabwe’s pace attack. His new-ball role gives him wicket chances.
Match Winner Prediction
Afghanistan have the stronger current squad signal. Their listed core has several multi-skill options. Zimbabwe can change the game through Raza and their pace attack.
The qualified editorial lean is Afghanistan. This is not a promise. The toss, pitch and final XI can change the match.
FAQs
When Is The AFG Vs ZIM 1st T20I?
The match is on Tuesday 27 October 2026. It starts at 8:00 PM IST. The local UAE time is 6:30 PM.
Where Will The Match Be Played?
The match will be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. ICC and ACB list the same ground.
Are The Playing XIs Confirmed?
No. The probable XIs are editorial candidates. Check both team sheets after the toss.
What Should Readers Check Before Making A Team?
Check final XIs, app roles, credits and the 100-credit limit. Also check who opens and who bowls four overs.
