AFG vs ZIM 1st Test Match Prediction: Who Will Win Sharjah Test?

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe switch formats in Sharjah this week. After Afghanistan completed a 3-0 sweep of the T20I series, the two sides meet in the first Test of a two-match series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, starting on Thursday, November 5. It is Afghanistan’s home series in the United Arab Emirates, and the longer format asks very different questions of both teams: patience, spin control and first-innings runs, rather than the power-hitting that decided the T20Is.

Zimbabwe were bowled out for just 79 in the final T20I, and they will be desperate to show that the white-ball sweep does not define this tour. Afghanistan, meanwhile, will want to prove that their red-ball progress is real: they drew their one-off Test against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi a couple of weeks ago, and a series win over Zimbabwe would be a strong next step. This preview covers the match details, squads, pitch report, probable playing XIs, key battles and our prediction for the Sharjah Test.

AFG vs ZIM 1st Test Match Details and Broadcast Information

Match	Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 1st Test
Series	Zimbabwe tour of the United Arab Emirates, two-match Test series
Date	Thursday, November 5 to Monday, November 9, 2026
Venue	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Start time	10:30 AM IST (9:00 AM UAE time)
Toss	10:00 AM IST
Live streaming in India	FanCode app and website (no television telecast in India)
Broadcast in Afghanistan	Ariana TV, with streaming on the Etisalat app
Second Test	November 13 to 17, 2026, also at Sharjah

Indian viewers should note the 10:30 AM IST start, which corresponds to 9:00 AM in the UAE. As with the Bangladesh-West Indies Test, there is no television telecast in India for this match; FanCode carries the live stream.

Recent Form: Afghanistan’s T20I Sweep and the Draw with Bangladesh

Afghanistan won the three-match T20I series 3-0, by 37 runs on October 27, by 19 runs on October 29, and by seven wickets on November 1 in Sharjah. The final match was the most one-sided: Zimbabwe were bowled out for 79 in 14.3 overs, with Noor Ahmad taking five wickets for 13 runs, before Afghanistan chased 81 for three in 8.1 overs. That collapse will be fresh in Zimbabwe’s minds when they walk out for a five-day match at the same ground.

In red-ball cricket, Afghanistan’s most recent outing was a drawn one-off Test against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi. A draw against a full-member side in a Test match is a solid result for Afghanistan, and it means they come into this series with recent five-day cricket behind them. Zimbabwe, by contrast, have had no Test cricket on this tour yet, and their batters must adjust quickly from T20 mode to Test-match patience.

Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Squads for the Sharjah Test

Afghanistan squad: Rahmat Shah (captain), Ikram Alikhil (vice-captain), Afsar Zazai, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Zadran, Shahidullah Kamal, Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Khalil Gurbaz, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Yamin Ahmadzai.

Zimbabwe squad: Sikandar Raza (captain), Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Newman Nyamhuri, Blessing Muzarabani, Ernest Masuku, Vincent Masekesa, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Kundai Matigimu.

Rahmat Shah leads Afghanistan, with Hashmatullah Shahidi — a veteran of Afghanistan’s biggest Test innings — providing experience in the middle order. For Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza is the captain, the senior batter and the player the whole team looks to when the pressure rises. Brian Bennett and Ryan Burl are the other batters Zimbabwe need to fire if they are to post a competitive first-innings total.

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

Sharjah Cricket Stadium traditionally starts well for batting and wears as the match goes on, bringing spinners into the game in the later innings. In the available data for Sharjah, seam bowlers have taken about 56 percent of wickets and spinners about 39 percent, which suggests the new ball still matters here, especially in the first session of each day, before spin takes over.

That pattern suits Afghanistan’s attack: a seam opening, followed by quality spin through the middle and later stages. Zimbabwe’s challenge is to survive the new ball, build a first-innings total of substance, and avoid the kind of collapse that cost them the final T20I. The forecast for Sharjah is clear skies and around 29 degrees Celsius with moderate humidity, so weather should not interrupt the match in any major way.

The toss matters at Sharjah, as it does at most wearing venues. Batting first, posting a big total, and then bowling last on a deteriorating pitch is the classic winning formula here, and the captain who wins the toss is likely to bat first.

AFG vs ZIM Probable Playing XIs for the 1st Test

These are probable XIs based on the named squads and recent teams, not confirmed teams. Confirmed XIs are announced at the toss.

Afghanistan probable XI: Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah (captain), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Shahidullah Kamal, Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Mohammad Saleem Safi.

Zimbabwe probable XI: Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza (captain), Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wicketkeeper), Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri.

Key Battles in the Sharjah Test

Afghanistan’s spin vs Zimbabwe’s batting patience

This is the central battle of the match. Afghanistan’s spinners, led by Qais Ahmad and Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, will bowl long spells on a wearing Sharjah surface. Zimbabwe’s batters, fresh from a T20 series in which they were bowled out for 79, must show the patience to leave balls, defend for long periods and build partnerships. If Zimbabwe’s top order collapses again, Afghanistan’s spinners will run through the middle order.

Sikandar Raza vs Rahmat Shah

The two captains are also the two most important batters in their teams. Raza is Zimbabwe’s most experienced player and their best player of spin; if he makes a big hundred, Zimbabwe can compete. Rahmat Shah is Afghanistan’s captain and a proven Test batter; his hundred would set up the first innings and put Zimbabwe under scoreboard pressure.

Blessing Muzarabani vs Afghanistan’s top order

Muzarabani is Zimbabwe’s most dangerous bowler with the new ball, and he has already passed 100 T20I wickets in his career. At Sharjah, his early spells are Zimbabwe’s best chance to take wickets before the pitch flattens out. If he removes Afghanistan’s openers cheaply, Zimbabwe can stay in the match; if not, Afghanistan’s middle order can build a match-winning total.

Sediqullah Atal’s form after the T20I series

Atal was one of Afghanistan’s in-form batters in the T20I series, and his ability to carry that confidence into the longer format matters. Afghanistan need their young batters to convert starts into big hundreds in Tests, and Atal is the player most likely to do that in Sharjah.

Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Head to Head in Tests

The Test head-to-head between the two sides is level at two wins each from five meetings, with one match drawn. That record shows how evenly matched these teams have been in the longer format, even though Afghanistan swept the recent T20I series 3-0. Test cricket is a different game, and Zimbabwe’s experience in the format — they have played far more Tests than Afghanistan — counts for something, even on Afghanistan’s adopted home ground.

Afghanistan’s case for favouritism rests on three things: home conditions in the UAE, where they play all their home cricket; the spin attack, which is better suited to a wearing Sharjah pitch; and momentum from the T20I sweep and the drawn Test against Bangladesh. Zimbabwe’s case rests on experience, Raza’s class, and a pace attack led by Muzarabani that can take wickets with the new ball.

AFG vs ZIM 1st Test Prediction: Who Will Win?

Our prediction is Afghanistan to win the first Test and take a 1-0 series lead. The reasoning is that Sharjah’s wearing surface, Afghanistan’s spin strength and their familiarity with UAE conditions give them a clear edge over five days. Zimbabwe’s batting looked fragile in the T20I series, and the step up to Test cricket — where patience and technique against spin matter more than power — makes that fragility harder to hide.

Zimbabwe’s path to a result is also clear, and it should not be dismissed. If Muzarabani and the seamers take early wickets, if Raza makes a big hundred, and if their batters show the discipline that was missing in the final T20I, they can draw this match or even push for a win. A draw is the most likely alternative to an Afghanistan win, especially if the first two days are good for batting and the spinners cannot break through early.

On balance, though, Afghanistan’s home advantage, spin depth and recent form are too much to ignore. Expect Afghanistan to bat first if they win the toss, post a big first-innings total, and bowl Zimbabwe out twice on a wearing pitch.

Prediction: Afghanistan to win the 1st Test and lead the series 1-0.

FAQs

When does the AFG vs ZIM 1st Test start?

The first Test starts on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with play beginning at 10:30 AM IST.

Where can I watch AFG vs ZIM 1st Test live in India?

The match will be streamed live on FanCode in India. There is no television telecast in India.

What was the result of the recent AFG vs ZIM T20I series?

Afghanistan won the three-match T20I series 3-0, including a seven-wicket win in the final match in which Zimbabwe were bowled out for 79.

When is the second Test between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe?

The second Test will be played from November 13 to 17, 2026, also at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

What is the Test head-to-head between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe?

The head-to-head is level at two wins each from five Test meetings, with one match drawn.

For more Afghanistan coverage, read our AFG vs ZIM 3rd T20I result and our AFG vs ZIM ODI final result.