Zimbabwe eke out two-wicket win in low-scoring Bulawayo thriller

Pakistan could not full a whitewash over Zimbabwe within the T20I sequence because the African nation gained the inconsequential third and closing match on the Queens Sports activities Membership in Bulawayo on Thursday, December 5.

The vacationers gained the toss and opted to bat first however the Zimbabwean bowlers got here laborious at them from the outset. Pakistan misplaced three wickets within the first 4 overs with solely 19 runs on the scoreboard. Captain Salman Ali Agha top-scored with a run-a-ball 32 to regular the ship however he was run out on the improper time. Tayyab Tahir and Qasim Akram bought off to respectable begins however did not capitalise.

Arafat Minhas performed a relaxed and composed knock of twenty-two* as Pakistan completed on 132/7 on the finish of their 20 overs. Blessing Muzarabani was the choose of the bowlers as he bagged two wickets for 25 runs in 4 overs. In the meantime, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Ryan Burl, and Tinotenda Maposa chipped in with one wicket apiece.

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In reply, Zimbabwe got here out swinging as Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani cast a 40-run partnership in 3.2 overs. The latter was dismissed by Salman after scoring a quickfire 15. Dion Myers and Bennett performed watchfully and stitched a 33-run stand off 38 deliveries on a sluggish monitor. Nonetheless, from 73/1, Zimbabwe slumped to 94/5 as Pakistan made a comeback of kinds.

The hosts pinned their hopes on captain Sikandar Raza, who tried to hold his crew over the road. Nonetheless, the skilled campaigner struggled to time the ball throughout his keep on the crease. Raza was finally dismissed for a 20-ball 19 within the 18th over. Zimbabwe wanted one other 21 runs off the final two overs on the fall of their skipper’s wicket.

Abbas Afridi took the wicket of Masakadza within the penultimate over and conceded 9 runs. Jahandad Khan was entrusted with the duty of bowling the final over with Zimbabwe needing 12 runs for a win. The over began brilliantly for the hosts as debutant Maposa bought a fortunate inside edge that rolled to the fine-leg boundary. The second supply of the over noticed the native boy nailing a pull shot to perfection as Zimbabwe wanted simply two extra to win.

Maposa took a single off the next supply earlier than Zimbabwe misplaced their eighth wicket. Richard Ngarava walked out to the crease and took a single to finish the match with one ball to spare. Zimbabwe reached residence with two wickets left within the tank.

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