Rashid on track to smash Starc record

Leg-spinner Rashid Khan starred as Afghanistan wrapped up a dominant 4-1 series win over Zimbabwe on Monday, cruising to a 146-run victory in the fifth and final one-day international at Sharjah.

After winning the toss and batting first, Afghanistan posted 9-241 from their 50 overs, before bowling out Zimbabwe for just 95.

The 19-year-old Rashid struck a 29-ball 43, before taking the final three wickets to fall to finish with figures of 3-13.

Rashid continued his march towards becoming the fastest-ever bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets with his 16 in the series taking him to 86 from 37 games in total.

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc holds the record for least amount of ODIs to take 100 wickets, with 52.

In 2016, Starc broke the record that had stood for almost two decades, claiming his 100th ODI wicket against Sri Lanka to pass the long-standing mark of Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq (53 matches) as the fastest bowler to the milestone.

Starc is also currently the fastest to 100 ODI wickets in terms of the number of balls bowled.

It took him just 2452 deliveries to reach triple figures, breaking Pakistan quick Shoaib Akhtar's previous record of 2707.

Rashid has bowled 1791 balls in ODIs and is on track to surpass Starc in that department as well.

Zimbabwe leave the United Arab Emirates with only one win from seven matches, having lost the preceding T20 series 2-0.

The two teams meet again in Zimbabwe at the 2019 World Cup qualifiers next month, with the Asian side clear favourites to qualify for the tournament in England and Wales based on the evidence of this series.

A second-wicket partnership of 129 between Javed Ahmadi and Rahmat Shah set Afghanistan up for a big score at 142-1, but Shah's dismissal for 59 triggered a collapse of 6-35.

Ahmadi was run out shortly afterwards for a well-compiled 76, but Afghanistan were hauled to a decent total by number nine Rashid, who hit three sixes before falling to the final ball of the innings.

Zimbabwe got off to a solid start with Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine both getting starts, but wicketkeeper Taylor was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf for 27 and the last eight wickets tumbled for only 23 runs.

FASTEST TO 100 ODI WICKETS

Mitchell Starc (Australia): 100 wickets in 52 matches

Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan): 100 wickets in 53 matches

Shane Bond (New Zealand): 100 wickets in 54 matches

Brett Lee (Australia): 100 wickets in 55 matches

Trent Boult (New Zealand): 100 wickets in 56 matches