Afghanistan and Zimbabwe play three T20Is and two Tests at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, starting with the first T20I on Tuesday 27 October. The two sides have just met twice in the UAE ODI Tri-Series, and Afghanistan won both matches, including the final.
Every match is open for free games on CricketDream: a Fantasy XI, a Snake Draft with friends, Multi-Draft across all five fixtures, and the match Predictor.
AFG vs ZIM schedule and IST start times
Head-to-head: Afghanistan have the recent edge
In the UAE ODI Tri-Series, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 158 runs in the group stage, with Sediqullah Atal making 102 off 110 balls and Rashid Khan taking 4/17. In the final on 23 October they won by 7 wickets, chasing 170, with Ibrahim Zadran making 70 and Rashid Khan taking 3/41. Both matches were 50-over games, so use them as form guides for the T20Is rather than as a prediction.
Afghanistan T20I squad
Ibrahim Zadran captains the 15-man squad. Mohammad Nabi is not in it.
- Batters and keepers: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor ul Rahman, Sediqullah Atal, Abdullah Tarakhail
- Allrounders: Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Shahidullah, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai
- Bowlers: Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdollah Ahmadzai, Fareed Ahmad
- Also in the squad: Mohammad Akram
Zimbabwe T20I squad
Sikandar Raza captains a 14-man squad.
- Batters and keepers: Sikandar Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tafadzwa Tsiga
- Allrounders: Ryan Burl, Brad Evans, Wessly Madhevere
- Bowlers: Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Kundai Matigimu, Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri
Afghanistan Test squad
Rahmat Shah captains the 15-man Test squad and Ikram Alikhil is the vice-captain and wicketkeeper. Zimbabwe had not named their Test squad when this guide was updated; it will be added here once it is out. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad are in the T20I squad only.
- Batters and keepers: Ikram Alikhil (vc, wk), Abdul Malik, Afsar Zazai (wk), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal
- Allrounders: Rahmat Shah (c), Ismat Alam, Shahidullah, Zia-ur-Rehman
- Bowlers: Khalil Gurbaz, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Ziaur Rahman
Fantasy tips for the T20Is
- Start with Rashid Khan. A bowling allrounder who bowls four overs and hits late is the most reliable captain choice in an Afghanistan T20I.
- Afghanistan have the stronger spin attack with Rashid, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb, so Zimbabwe batters who play spin well are the value picks on the other side.
- Sikandar Raza scores with bat and ball for Zimbabwe, which makes him the natural vice-captain from the Zimbabwe side.
- Check the playing XI before you lock. Squads are 14 and 15 players, so a few names will miss each match.
Sharjah usually plays slower than the other UAE grounds, so favour spinners and the openers who score in the powerplay, and check the toss and the pitch report on the match page.
Fantasy tips for the Tests
Test fantasy rewards the players who spend the most time on the field. Pick the spinners who will bowl the most overs, wicketkeepers who bat in the top seven and a captain who bats and bowls. With Zimbabwe's squad not yet named, wait for the squad before you build a full XI for the Tests.
Play free on CricketDream
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Open the 1st T20I match page, Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe at Sharjah.
Open match pageFrequently asked questions
When does Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe start?
The first T20I is on Tuesday 27 October 2026 at 8:00 PM IST (6:30 PM local) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
How many matches are in the series?
Five: three T20Is (27 October, 29 October and 1 November) and two Tests (starting 5 November and 13 November). All are at Sharjah.
Who captains the sides?
Ibrahim Zadran leads Afghanistan in the T20Is and Rahmat Shah leads them in the Tests. Sikandar Raza captains Zimbabwe in the T20Is. Zimbabwe's Test squad had not been announced at the time of writing.
Is CricketDream fantasy free to play?
Yes. Fantasy XI, Draft, Multi-Draft, Predictor, Cricket Quiz and CricketQuest are all free, with no entry fees and no cash prizes.
Where can I follow the live score?
CricketDream is not a broadcaster. Check your local rights holder for the live stream, and use each CricketDream match page for the live score, confirmed playing XIs and your fantasy points as they update.