BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe: Pakistan registered a commanding 57-run victory over Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the three-match series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 166, Zimbabwe’s batting crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for just 108 runs in 15.3 overs.
A strong all-around performance, led by the spin duo of Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem, secured the win for the visitors.
Chasing a target of 166, Zimbabwe’s batting lineup faltered. Skipper Sikandar Raza’s gritty 39 and Tadiwanashe Marumani’s quick 33 off 20 balls briefly raised hopes for the hosts, but Pakistan’s spinners spun a web around the Zimbabwean batters.
Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem claimed three wickets each, while Haris Rauf took two and Jahandad Khan one.
Zimbabwe collapsed from 77/2 to 108 all out, unable to build any substantial partnerships after Marumani’s dismissal in the ninth over.
Earlier, Pakistan posted a competitive 165/4 after opting to bat first. Despite an early blow with opener Omair Bin Yousuf dismissed for 16, Usman Khan anchored the innings with 39 runs off 30 balls, including two fours and two sixes.
After a middle-order wobble, Tayyab Tahir (39* off 29) and Irfan Khan (27* off 15) propelled Pakistan to a strong finish with an unbeaten 65-run partnership.
Tayyab’s composure in the middle earned him the Player of the Match award. He said that it was challenging to bat with the old ball, but their focus on rotating strike and finding gaps paid off.
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha praised his team’s all-around effort, highlighting the impact of the young players. “It was a complete performance. The conditions were tough with the new ball, but the team executed the plan well,” he said at the closing ceremony.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza admitted to critical lapses in the game, particularly in the final overs of Pakistan’s innings. “The momentum shifted when we leaked 40 runs in the last few overs. We need to upskill and learn from this game,” he said.
Pakistan Playing XI
Salman Ali Agha (c), Saim Ayub, Omair bin Yousuf, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, and Sufiyan Moqim.
Zimbabwe Playing XI
Sikandar Raza (c), Brain Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tawandanashe Marumani (wk), Tashinga Musekiwa, Richard Ngarava, Dion Myers, Wellington Masakadza
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