Dawlat’s hat-trick sinks Windies in warm-up game

HARARE: Fast bowler Dawlat Zadran took a hat-trick as Afghanistan came from behind to beat two-time former world champions West Indies by 29 runs in an ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 warm-up match at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.

Zadran dismissed Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell and Carlos Brathwaite on successive deliveries of his fifth over as the West Indies, chasing a revised target of 140 in 35 overs by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method, slipped from 99 for five in the 20th over to 99 for eight before being bowled out for 110 in 26.4 overs.

Zadran, who had earlier accounted for Shai Hope, finished with outstanding figures of 7-1-26-4. Left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf and wrist-spinner Rashid Khan picked up two wickets apiece, while Mohammad Nabi and Shahpoor Zadran bagged a wicket each.

For the West Indies, Evin Lewis was the top scorer with 36, while Marlon Samuels scored 34. Earlier, a rain-break helped Afghanistan recover from a precarious 82 for eight in 25.4 overs to a competitive 163 for nine in 35 overs. When play resumed, Gulbadin Naib and Samiullah Shenwari came out all guns blazing and added 81 runs in the remaining 9.2 overs to give their bowlers with something to bowl at.

Gulbadin hit a 38-ball 48 with three fours and two sixes, while Samiullah Shenwari returned not out on 42 from 55 balls. Fast bowlers Sheldon Cottrell, captain Jason Holder and Kesrick Williams shared seven wickets.

The match between Ireland and Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield following morning rains. Elsewhere, the Netherlands defeated Hong Kong by eight wickets, defending champions Scotland overpowered Papua New Guinea (PNG) by seven wickets and Nepal surprised the UAE by five wickets.