Pakistan overcame a top-order collapse to edge out a spirited Zimbabwe by 5 wickets within the opener of a T20 tri-series on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe, which has certified for subsequent 12 months’s T20 World Cup, put up a superb present with the ball earlier than Pakistan reached 151 for 5 within the ultimate over as Fakhar Zaman returned to the format with a prime rating of 44 off 32 balls.
Zimbabwe ruined a rollicking begin and obtained restricted to 147 for eight with spinners Mohammad Nawaz (2-22), Abrar Ahmed (1-28) and Saim Ayub (1-31) squeezing the customer within the second half of the innings.
“It was a detailed sport,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha mentioned. “Our spinners have been doing properly for the final 4-5 months they usually’re those that put us again within the sport.”
Quick bowler Brad Evans (2-26) picked up two wickets in a single over, and Tinotenda Maposa had Agha lbw off an ideal yorker as Pakistan slipped to 30 for 3 contained in the PowerPlay.
Evans rattled the stumps of Sahibzada Farhan (16) off a supply that skidded into the right-hander after which had Babar Azam trapped leg-before for a three-ball duck as Pakistan misplaced three wickets for 3 runs.
Spin all-rounder Graeme Cremer, who returned after lacking the house T20I sequence in opposition to Afghanistan, then had Ayub (22) caught at deep mid-wicket as Pakistan slipped additional to 54 for 4 within the tenth over.
However Zaman and wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan (37 not out) added 61 runs and put the chase again on observe earlier than Richard Ngarava (1-30) had Zaman caught behind when the left-hander tried a ramp shot however couldn’t get any elevation.
With 15 wanted of the ultimate 10 balls, Zimbabwe missed a chance when Brian Bennett dropped a sitter of Nawaz at deep mid-wicket, earlier than the left-hander sealed the sport with two successive boundaries within the ultimate over of Maposa to offer Pakistan a successful begin within the match.
Bennett (49), who scored three half-centuries and a century throughout Zimbabwe’s qualification for the T20 World Cup, and Tadiwanashe Marumani (30) offered a blazing begin of 59 for no loss within the PowerPlay as each batters confirmed loads of aggression in opposition to tempo and the off-spin of Ayub, whose first over went for 17.
However the introduction of Nawaz slowed Zimbabwe’s progress when Marumani missed out on a full toss and holed out within the outfield within the eighth over.
Brendan Taylor made a run-a-ball 14 however couldn’t beat Babar’s sturdy throw and was run-out whereas making an attempt a second run. Bennett, who smashed eight fours, supplied a tame return catch to Ayub within the thirteenth over.
Zimbabwe, which cruised to 88 for one in 10 overs, couldn’t get any momentum and misplaced wickets to spinners at common intervals, and solely skipper Sikandar Raza confirmed some late aggression by scoring an unbeaten 34 off 24 balls, that included a six off Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-34) within the final over.
“There are extra positives than negatives,” Raza mentioned. “We’re attending to a stage the place the battle has at all times been there, however we should discover ways to cross the road. That has been the final hurdle, and I’d prefer to see us crossing the road extra typically.”
Sri Lanka is the third workforce within the match and can tackle Zimbabwe within the subsequent sport on Thursday.
Revealed on Nov 18, 2025