In This Match Preview
AFG vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction Match Preview
This AFG vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction covers the final. Afghanistan won both league games. They beat Zimbabwe by 158 runs on 19 October. They then beat Bangladesh by seven wickets on 21 October.
Sediqullah Atal made 102 against Zimbabwe. Rashid Khan took four wickets in both round-robin games. Zimbabwe have key players too. Craig Ervine and Brendan Taylor have scored well. Sikandar Raza can bat and bowl.
This is a pre-toss guide. Final XIs are not confirmed. Check the toss and both team sheets first. Then check player roles in the app.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, Final |
| Competition | ODI Tri-Nation Series In UAE, 2026 |
| Date | Friday, 23 October 2026 |
| Format | One-Day International, 50 overs per side |
| Venue | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah |
| Start | 11:30 UTC / 15:30 GST / 17:00 IST |
| Match status | Final; day-night listing |
| Fantasy status | Provisional before toss and confirmed XIs |
The final venue is listed as Sharjah. ESPN also shows an 11:00 ground-time field. Recheck the start time on match day.
Team Form — Afghanistan
Afghanistan won both completed league games. Their attack removed Zimbabwe for 136. It then bowled Bangladesh out for 160.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 2026 | Zimbabwe | 294 vs 136 | ✓ WIN by 158 runs |
| 21 Oct 2026 | Bangladesh | 161/3 vs 160 | ✓ WIN by 7 wickets |
Atal made 102 against Zimbabwe. Rahmat Shah made 67 not out against Bangladesh. Rashid took four wickets in both games.
Team Form — Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 99 runs in the opener. They then lost to Afghanistan by 158 runs.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct 2026 | Bangladesh | 271/8 vs 172 | ✓ WIN by 99 runs |
| 19 Oct 2026 | Afghanistan | 136 vs 294 | ✕ LOSS by 158 runs |
Craig Ervine made 93 against Bangladesh. Brendan Taylor made 81. Brad Evans took four wickets in that win.
Pitch Report And Fantasy Impact
Sharjah has short boundaries. The final preview says batters can score freely there.
The checked Sharjah ODI sample has one game. That game was played on 21 October. Bangladesh made 160. Afghanistan chased 161 in 35.3 overs. That one game is a small sample. Consider early batters and bowlers who can take wickets.
The surface may slow later. That is a match-day view, not a verified forecast. Do not add weather or dew claims before the toss.
Use more spin if the pitch grips. Use more seamers if the ball moves early. Check the final XI and bowling duties first.
Recent Head-To-Head Record
Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 158 runs in the only completed meeting of this series.
The 2026 final is a new match. Old results give context only. They do not confirm a winner.
Probable Playing XIs — Not Confirmed
These are editorial candidates. They come from current squads and the final preview. They are not announced XIs.
These roles are used for this article. App roles may differ. Check them before entry.
Afghanistan Probable XI
| No. | Player | Editorial Role | Evidence Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | WK | Opening keeper; probable pick |
| 2 | Ibrahim Zadran | BAT | Early batter; probable pick |
| 3 | Sediqullah Atal | BAT | 102 against Zimbabwe on 19 October |
| 4 | Rahmat Shah | AR | Captain; 67 not out against Bangladesh |
| 5 | Hashmatullah Shahidi | BAT | 36 not out against Bangladesh |
| 6 | Azmatullah Omarzai | AR | Two wickets against Bangladesh |
| 7 | Mohammad Nabi | AR | Squad and recent XI candidate |
| 8 | Rashid Khan | AR | Four wickets in both league matches |
| 9 | AM Ghazanfar | BOWL | Recent XI candidate; one wicket against Zimbabwe |
| 10 | Yamin Ahmadzai | BOWL | Two wickets against Bangladesh |
| 11 | Fazalhaq Farooqi | BOWL | Recent XI candidate; two wickets against Zimbabwe |
Zimbabwe Probable XI
| No. | Player | Editorial Role | Evidence Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Bennett | AR | Early batter; probable pick |
| 2 | Ben Curran | BAT | Early batter; probable pick |
| 3 | Tafadzwa Tsiga | WK | Keeper; probable pick |
| 4 | Brendan Taylor | WK | 81 against Bangladesh; wicketkeeper option |
| 5 | Craig Ervine | BAT | 93 against Bangladesh; expected return |
| 6 | Sikandar Raza | AR | Captain and key all-rounder |
| 7 | Wessly Madhevere | AR | Probable pick in the final preview |
| 8 | Brad Evans | BOWL | Four wickets against Bangladesh |
| 9 | Wellington Masakadza | BOWL | Two wickets against Bangladesh |
| 10 | Ernest Masuku | BOWL | Probable pick in the final preview |
| 11 | Blessing Muzarabani | BOWL | New-ball option; one wicket against Bangladesh |
Craig Ervine’s return is a probable-team note. It is not confirmation. Zimbabwe may change their top order or keeper choice.
Six Dream11 Teams
Each team below is a pre-toss idea. Check the final XI and app rules first.
Team 1: Balanced Final Core
Use the strongest recent core from both finalists. Balanced pre-toss build.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Brendan Taylor
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Craig Ervine
AR: Rahmat Shah, Rashid Khan, Sikandar Raza
BOWL: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans
Captain: Rashid Khan · Vice-Captain: Ibrahim Zadran
Risk: Atal, Ibrahim and Rashid carry the recent AFG signal. Raza and the Zimbabwe seam pair add cover.
Team 2: Afghanistan Batting Control
Afghanistan build a big total through the top order. Use if Afghanistan bat first or the surface looks firm.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tafadzwa Tsiga
BAT: Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Ben Curran, Craig Ervine
AR: Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan
BOWL: AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Blessing Muzarabani
Captain: Sediqullah Atal · Vice-Captain: Azmatullah Omarzai
Risk: This build backs both AFG openers and keeps three wicket routes.
Team 3: Zimbabwe Response
Zimbabwe top order and all-rounders overturn the form gap. Use for a Zimbabwe-led grand-league script.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Brendan Taylor, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
BAT: Craig Ervine, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal
AR: Sikandar Raza, Brian Bennett, Wessly Madhevere
BOWL: Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans, AM Ghazanfar
Captain: Sikandar Raza · Vice-Captain: Blessing Muzarabani
Risk: Raza, Ervine and Taylor anchor the ZIM side. Rashid remains the AFG wicket threat.
Team 4: Middle-Overs Spin
Spin decides the middle overs on a slower Sharjah surface. Use only if the pitch looks slow and both teams name spinners.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Ikram Alikhil, Tafadzwa Tsiga
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ben Curran
AR: Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sikandar Raza
BOWL: AM Ghazanfar, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani
Captain: Rashid Khan · Vice-Captain: Sikandar Raza
Risk: Rashid, Ghazanfar, Nabi and Raza create multiple middle-over paths.
Team 5: New-Ball Seam
Early movement makes wickets more valuable than extra batters. Use if the pitch has fresh seam and the bowling-first team looks pace heavy.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Brendan Taylor
BAT: Sediqullah Atal, Ben Curran, Craig Ervine
AR: Azmatullah Omarzai
BOWL: Brad Evans, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Yamin Ahmadzai, Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri
Captain: Azmatullah Omarzai · Vice-Captain: Fazalhaq Farooqi
Risk: Four bowlers target the first and final phases. Omarzai adds batting cover.
Team 6: AFG Control With ZIM Pace
Afghanistan control the chase while Zimbabwe pace still takes wickets. Use if Afghanistan chase and the new ball remains effective.
View Player Names And Roles
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
BAT: Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Craig Ervine
AR: Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan
BOWL: AM Ghazanfar, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza
Captain: Mohammad Nabi · Vice-Captain: AM Ghazanfar
Risk: A seven-player Afghanistan build with four Zimbabwe counter-picks.
Captain And Vice-Captain Choices
Rashid Khan has eight wickets in this series. He took four wickets against Zimbabwe and four against Bangladesh. His risk is a lower batting position.
Sediqullah Atal made 102 against Zimbabwe. He opens and can face many balls. His risk is early movement with the new ball.
Sikandar Raza can score in both skills. He leads Zimbabwe and bowls middle overs. Afghanistan’s spin bowlers are his main risk.
Ibrahim Zadran made 90 against Zimbabwe. He bats early in the innings. Zimbabwe’s pace bowlers can test him with the new ball.
On toss day, remove any non-starter. Check keeper tags. Check credits. Check the final bowling roles.
Top Three Player Battles
Rashid Khan Against Sikandar Raza
Rashid has taken four wickets in both league matches. Raza is Zimbabwe’s main all-round answer. This battle may shape the middle overs.
Sediqullah Atal Against Blessing Muzarabani
Atal made 102 in the last meeting. Muzarabani brings new-ball pace. The first spell may shape this contest.
Zimbabwe Top Order Against Afghanistan Spin
Zimbabwe’s top three struggled in the loss to Afghanistan. Ghazanfar and Rashid can attack the middle overs. Zimbabwe need a longer first partnership.
Top Players To Look Out For
Sediqullah Atal: He made 102 against Zimbabwe. He has a recent hundred against this side.
Rashid Khan: He took eight wickets across two games. He can gain points through wickets.
Ibrahim Zadran: He made 90 against Zimbabwe. He can bat for a long time.
Sikandar Raza: He leads Zimbabwe and can bat and bowl. Zimbabwe may need a strong game from him.
Brad Evans: He took four wickets against Bangladesh. His pace can test Afghanistan’s batters.
Match Winner Prediction
Afghanistan have the better form in this series. They won both league matches. Zimbabwe also beat Bangladesh by 99 runs.
Our pick is Afghanistan. This is an opinion, not a promise. The toss and final XI may change that view.
FAQs
When Is The AFG Vs ZIM Final?
The final is listed for Friday, 23 October 2026. One listing gives 11:30 UTC and 17:00 IST. The start-time fields differ. Check the final match centre.
Which Venue Hosts The Final?
Current ESPN final pages list Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Recheck the operational time field on match day.
Are The Playing XIs Confirmed?
No. Both tables show probable editorial candidates. The team sheets come before the toss.
What Happened In The Three Completed Games?
Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 99 runs on 17 October. Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 158 runs on 19 October. Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by seven wickets on 21 October.
What Is The Best Fantasy Approach?
Start with top-order batters and wicket-taking bowlers. Add all-rounders with clear roles. Then check the final XI, app tags and team limit.
Is The Sharjah Pitch Read Certain?
No. The same-tournament Sharjah sample has one completed ODI. Use it with the wider Sharjah boundary note, not as a full ground record.
