Afghanistan and Zimbabwe Face Off in the 2026 ODI Tri-Series Final

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe are set to square off in the final of the One Day International Tri-Series at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, October 23, 2026. The match is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM local time, with live streaming available via FanCode.

Afghanistan advanced to the title clash after finishing the league stage undefeated, securing victories in both of their matches. Their journey to the final featured a notable seven-wicket win over Bangladesh, during which bowler Rashid Khan captured four wickets while conceding 31 runs. Rahmat Shah anchored the subsequent successful run chase with an unbeaten 67, supported by Hashmatullah Shahidi.

Earlier in the tournament, Afghanistan also defeated Zimbabwe by a decisive margin of 158 runs, posting a total of 294 built on a century by Sediqullah Atal and a strong knock from Ibrahim Zadran. These performances have established Afghanistan's momentum heading into the final fixture.

Zimbabwe secured their spot in the final with one victory from their two group-stage fixtures. To challenge Afghanistan, the team will look to key contributors such as captain Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Brian Bennett, and Craig Ervine to provide stability and build a competitive total. Bowling options like Brad Evans and Blessing Muzarabani are expected to shoulder the responsibility of breaking through Afghanistan's batting lineup.

Conditions in Abu Dhabi are expected to feature a balanced pitch that may favor batters early on before slowing down to assist spinners and slower bowlers as the game progresses. With clear weather and temperatures anticipated between 27 and 32 degrees Celsius, tactical decisions at the toss could play a crucial role.

While Afghanistan enters the final as the statistical favorite owing to their consistent performances across departments, Zimbabwe aims to execute a stronger display with the bat and leverage early breakthroughs to claim the series trophy.