Zimbabwe Win Toss and Bat First in Sharjah Test as Bennett Leads and Naqvi Debuts

Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat first in the first Test against Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Brian Bennett leads Zimbabwe for the first time, at 22 the second-youngest Test captain in the country's history, while Antum Naqvi makes his long-awaited Test debut after finally being cleared to play for his adopted country.

Afghanistan made two changes, with Ziaur Rahman Sharifi coming in for Yamin Ahmadzai, and captain Rahmat Shah said he would also have chosen to bat first.

The pitch report at the toss said there is little grass on the surface, with spin expected to play a bigger part from the second day, and a first-innings total near 450 would be a strong score.

Test cricket returns to Sharjah after ten years.