Zimbabwe faced a tough defeat in the opening T20I against Pakistan in Bulawayo, falling short by 57 runs despite a promising start.
Chasing a target of 165, Zimbabwe found themselves in early trouble at 18/2 after Abrar Ahmed rattled the stumps twice in one over. However, the hosts rebounded strongly. Tadiwanashe Marumani’s explosive over, featuring a six and three boundaries, pushed them to 40/2 by the fourth over. Sikandar Raza joined the charge, smashing three consecutive boundaries to boost Zimbabwe’s score to 60/2 by the end of the powerplay.
Just as Zimbabwe seemed to have momentum, a careless run-out and a flurry of dismissals derailed their chase. Ryan Burl’s miscue to Haris Rauf and Raza’s departure triggered a dramatic collapse, with the team losing five wickets in just four overs. Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem with three wickets each, wrapped up Zimbabwe’s innings for 108 in just 15.3 overs.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting started cautiously. Despite a slow middle phase, the team finished strong thanks to a late onslaught by Tayyab Tahir and Irfan Khan, who capitalized on Zimbabwe’s sloppy fielding in the final overs. The duo added 44 runs in the last three overs, propelling Pakistan to a solid total of 165/4.
Match Highlights
- Pakistan’s Batting: Tayyab Tahir (39*) and Usman Khan (39) anchored the innings, while Irfan Khan provided a late flourish.
- Zimbabwe’s Bowling: Sikandar Raza was economical with figures of 1/14.
- Zimbabwe’s Collapse: Despite Raza’s 39, a middle-order meltdown dashed their hopes.
- Pakistan’s Bowling: Abrar Ahmed (3/28) and Sufiyan Muqeem (3/20) were the stars.
With this win, Pakistan takes an early lead in the series, leaving Zimbabwe with plenty to ponder before the next game.
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