How Afghanistan might line-up for 5th ODI vs Zimbabwe

Afghanistan sealed 10th position in the ODI rankings when they clinched the Sharjah series over Zimbabwe after taking an unassailable 3-1 lead following the crushing defeat of the African outfit on Friday. Opener Mohammad Shahzad and Ihsanullah Janat got the job done when they successfully chased a target of 134 without breaking sweat, though Mujeeb Ur Rahman took the cake with his five-wicket haul.

The 16-year-old usurped Pakistan's Waqar Younis to become the youngest player to clinch a five-for in ODIs.

There's still a tie to go before the World Cup qualifiers however, as the two sides lock horns in the fifth round of the ODI series on Monday. Here's how Afghanistan might line-up.

Openers

Mohammad Shahzad

Following a brief dip in form that saw him accrue just 12 runs in the 2nd and 3rd ODIs combined, Shahzad roared back into form with an unbeaten knock of 75 in the last innings to blow Zimbabwe away. The Afghan wicketkeeper is coming off the back of a doping embargo that saw him almost a year out of the scene, but rolled back the calendars with an emphatic showing in the 4th ODI and is likely to start again despite the series being already in the bag.

Ihsanullah Janat

In what has been a topsy-turvy journey in ODIs so far since his debut exactly a year ago, Janat is starting to repay the faith that Afghanistan pinned on him. The 20-year-old began the series with a knock of 54 runs which was also his best individual score in the format, before following that up with another half-century last time out as he forged a 135 run unbeaten partnership with Shahzad to sew up a series victory.

Middle-Order

Rahmat Shah has been a force to be reckoned with

Rahmat Shah Zurmatai

The battering ram for the Asians who is also the leading run-scorer in the series with an incredible return of 213 runs in only three innings, Rahmat Shah has carried the rich vein of form against Ireland last December into the new year, causing all sorts of problems to the Zimbabwean bowling. He'd be raring to go once again after being denied an innings courtesy the openers' blistering partnership in the 4th ODI.

Nasir Jamal

Barring his second innings in the series that saw him being caught out for a duck, Jamal has been fairly impressive with the bat. He posted only the third half-century of his career in the 3rd ODI when he set Afghanistan on their way to reestablish the series lead following an incredible partnership with Shah.

Asghar Stanikzai

The Aghan skipper has ironically been one of the major disappointments for his side, making just four runs in the series - the lowest for a player who's batted atleast two innings here.

Najibullah Zadran

Despite coming down at No.6, Najibullah has proven to be the match winner on two occasions in the series. He first scored a commendable 81 in the opening game to help Afghanistan post a brilliant target of 333, then followed that up with a match winning pair of boundaries in the third ODI to put his side back into the driving seat.

His talismanship may be rewarded with another cap here, though a veteran in Samiullah Shenwari is breathing right down his neck, having warmed the bench for the first four ODIs and eyeing a return to the line-up.

All-rounders

Mohammad Nabi

Mohammad Nabi

After a fair to middling ODI series against Ireland last December, Nabi shone in the shorter T20 format when he amassed 85 runs and picked up two wickets in two games against Zimbabwe. He's improving his game in one-day cricket as he's maintained an average of 49 in the series - one of the highest - whilst also picking up three scalps.

Benching him during such a linear phase wouldn't be the right decision.

Bowlers

Rashid Khan

Sharafuddin Ashraf

Replacing Gulbadin Naib in the last outing, it didn't take long for Ashraf to make an impact. In the 24 balls delivered, the 23-year-old gave away only 15 runs and also sent the dangerous Brendan Taylor packing for 30. In the process, he registered a terrific economy rate of 3.75 and laid a strong claim for more overs in the last game before the World Cup qualifiers.

Rashid Khan

What's left to be said about this young man that hasn't been already? Rashid Khan continues to be as prolific as ever, leading the series' wicket charge with a staggering 13 that includes one 4-fer and 5-fer each, whilst also rodomontading the best economy rate of only 3.34, in four innings and 51 deliveries.

The Zimbabweans can try as they might, but they haven't found a solution to this Rashid Khan-shaped problem, to which they've meekly succumbed throughout the Sharjah tour.

Shapoor Zadran

The towering Afghan seamer replaced his younger brother Dawlat Zadran in the final ODI of the series against Ireland here in Sharjah two months ago, and may repeat that now that the series is in the bag.

Shapoor, while he impressed in the T20 format against the Irish as well as West Indies last year, has come a cropper in one-day internationals recently. The 31-year-old bowled as many as seven overs and gave away 71 runs, a figure that's still vivid in the memory.

Mujeeb Zadran

Ever since he burst onto the scene against Ireland in December's ODI series, there has simply been no stopping him. The 16-year-old prodigious offspinner built on his sparkling debut series with another set of talismanic performances as Zimbabwe were his next Aunt Sally.

After warming up in the T20s where he picked two, Zadran went on to bag another 11 in the ODI series, including his 5-wicket haul in the last outing that made him the youngest ever to achieve the feat, beating previous holder Waqar Younis, and is only bettered by Rashid, Nabi and Ashraf in terms of economy (4.82) in this tour thus far.