Zimbabwe, already defeated in the first game in the T20I Tri-Series by hosts Bangladesh, won the toss in Mirpur and invited Afghanistan to bat. The Afghans though made a strong start with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai putting on 51 for the first wicket, until Hazratullah fell for 13, caught by Sean Williams off Tendai Chatara for 13. Then, in the next over, Gurbaz, who had struck 2 sixes, was out for 43, lbw to Williams for 43.
Najeeb Tarakai and Asghar Afghan added 20, but Tarakai was dismissed for 14, caught by Ainsley Ndlovu off Williams. Two overs later, Ndlovu had success with the ball, removing Afghan for 14, caught by Ryan Burl. However, Najbullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi then shared a partnership of 107 for the fifth wicket off just 40 balls, with Najbullah, who struck 69 not out off 45 balls, the senior partner, hitting 6 sixes in the process. He was ably supported by Nabi, who hit 4 sixes off his own, and, although he fell off the last ball of the innings for 38, caught by Burl off Chatara, he had played his part in helping Afghanistan reach 197 – 5.
Zimbabwe were soon struggling with their reply, with captain Hamilton Masakadza run out in the third over. Two more wickets followed in the next over bowled by Fareed Ahmed – Brendan Taylor, who had struck 2 sixes of his own, caught by Hazratullah for 27, and then Williams caught by Gurbaz for a duck. Things quickly became worse for the Zimbabweans when Craig Ervine was lbw to Karim Janat for 10.
Burl and Tinotenda Mutombodzi added 37, but Mutombodzi was the next man out, caught by Tarakai for 20, with captain Rashid Khan the bowler. In his next over, Rashid bowled Burl, who had hit 2 sixes, for 25, reducing the African side to 96 – 6.
A seventh wicket partnership of 45 between Regis Chakabva and Neville Madziva gave them brief hope, but they were always behind the required run rate, even before Madziva was caught by Nabi off the bowling of Gulbadin Naib. Chakabva finished 42 not out, after hitting 2 sixes, and Kyle Jarvis also hit two maximums in his undefeated 15, but the Zimbabwe total of 169 – 9 was someway short of what was needed.