Afghanistan in early trouble as Blessing Muzarabani and Victor Nyauchi make inroads

Lunch Afghanistan 85 for 5 (Zazai 19*, Afghan 9*) vs Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's quicks made the most of seamer-friendly conditions to prise out Afghanistan's top five, after Asghar Afghan chose to bat on a green-tinged pitch. Though Sean Williams also wanted to post a total first in Abu Dhabi, he would have been pleasantly surprised to see what his bowlers had to work with - movement through the air and off the seam and extra bounce for the extra tall Blessing Muzarabani - which made Zimbabwe's decision to pick three pacemen appear a strategically sensible one.

Afghanistan, by contrast, have gone with just one quick, Yamin Ahmadzai, and three spinners and will hope they have not misread their adopted home surface.

Muzarabani, playing in his first Test since the day-night game against South Africa in 2017, became the first Zimbabwe bowler to take a wicket with the first ball of a Test when he bowled debutant Abdul Malik with a ball that moved into him and took the inside edge as he failed to defend. Malik's was the 33rd instance of a batsman being dismissed off the first ball of a Test.

His wicket brought Afghanistan's only Test centurion to date, Rahmat Shah to the crease, and he reached 300 runs in this format with a straight drive down the ground. But he lasted just five more balls before Muzarabani got one to move away slightly, take a fine outside edge and carry to Regis Chakabva. Two balls later, Muzarabani appealed for lbw against another newcomer, Munir Ahmad, but Aleem Dar adjudged it not out.

Victor Nyauchi shared the new ball with Muzarabani and also had an early lbw appeal. His came against Ibrahim Zadran, who pressed forward to defend and was struck on the front pad but the ball appeared to be going over the stumps. Zadran was Afghanistan's best batsman of the morning and was particularly impressive on the square drive.

What he needed was a partner and Munir, though uncomfortable at first, was the only one who hung around albeit just a little. Their third-wicket stand grew to 29 before Munir reached for a wide Nyauchi delivery that was well caught by Sikandar Raza at first slip, and Ibrahim went the same way three overs later, when he attempted a drive off Nyachi to a ball that moved away and was caught in the gully. Nyauchi had one more bit of success when he bowled Hashmatullah Shahidi with an inswinging yorker that snuck through the bat-pad gap.

By then, Muzarabani had delivered an eight-over spell, the last of which cost 12 runs, and Zimbabwe needed to use their change bowlers. Donald Tiripano did not cause the same problems for the batsmen, but kept it tidy to ensure Zimbabwe had the upper hand at lunch. What they didn't have, though, was an acceptable over rate. Only 23 overs were bowled in the first session.