Islamabad, Dec 2: Pakistan delivered an impressive 57-run victory against Zimbabwe in the opening T20I at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.
Spinners Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Moqim were instrumental in dismantling Zimbabwe’s batting, taking six wickets between them.
Additionally, Batting first, Pakistan scored a competitive 165-4. After a shaky start with Omair Bin Yousuf falling early for 16 to Richard Ngarava, the middle order steadied the innings.
Usman Khan anchored the lineup with a composed 39 off 30 balls, forming valuable partnerships with Saim Ayub (24) and captain Salman Ali Agha (13).
In the final overs, Tayyab Tahir and Muhammad Irfan Khan unleashed a powerful counterattack, adding 65 unbeaten runs off 34 balls. Tayyab contributed 35 runs off 29 balls, while Irfan smashed 27 off just 15 deliveries.
However, Zimbabwe struggled during the chase, losing early wickets to slump to 18-2 in three overs. Tadiwanashe Marumani (33 off 20) and skipper Sikandar Raza (39 off 34) briefly revived hopes with a 59-run stand.
However, Marumani’s dismissal in the ninth over triggered a collapse, with Zimbabwe losing their last eight wickets for just 31 runs. The team was bowled out for 108 in 15.3 overs.
Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Moqim’s three-wicket hauls, along with Haris Rauf’s two wickets and Jahandad Khan’s dismissal of Raza, sealed Pakistan’s dominance.
Player of the match Tayyab Tahir credited his partnership with Irfan Khan, saying, “We aimed to keep the scoreboard moving—attacking when possible and running hard otherwise.”
The win extends Pakistan’s strong run after their 2-1 ODI series triumph over Zimbabwe, as they aim for a clean sweep in the T20I series. For Zimbabwe, the loss ended their five-match T20I winning streak, with Captain Sikandar Raza acknowledging their struggles in the final overs and during the chase.
Teams:
- Pakistan: 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, Sufiyan Moqim.
- Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (c), Brain Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Tashinga Musekiwa, Richard Ngarava, Dion Myers, Wellington Masakadza.
