Zimbabwe achieved a thrilling victory by two wickets Pakistan in the third and final T20I at the Queens Sports Club, denying the visitors a series of clean sweeps. Chasing 133, Zimbabwe reached the target with just one ball to spare thanks to a restrained knock to open the batting Brian Bennett.
Zimbabwe restrict Pakistan to 132
Electing to bat first, Pakistan posted 132/7 in their 20 overs. The innings struggled to gain momentum as Zimbabwe’s bowlers kept the bats under control. Skipper Agha Salman top scored with 32 off 32 balls while Tayyab Tahir (21 off 14) and Arafat Minhas (22 off 26) made useful contributions. Zimbabwe’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Blessing Muzarabani (25/2) the standout.
Zimbabwe reach the finish line after a middle-order collapse
Zimbabwe’s reply started strongly with Tadiwanashe Marumani smashing 15 off 6 balls, but regular wickets kept the hosts under pressure. Brian Bennett anchored the chase with a mature-ball 43 off 35. The home side fell in the middle, but reached the finish line with two wickets in hand and a ball to spare.
Abbas Afridi was the pick of Pakistan’s bowlers, claiming 3/24, while Jahandad Khan took two wickets.
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Zimbabwe beat Pakistan in 3rd T20I by 2 wickets
Scorecard
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“We wanted to win the series but unfortunately we couldn’t. The desire to beat Pakistan was there and to finish with a win is incredibly satisfying. We had a tough tour but we supported the youngsters and for them to win today was heartwarming to see. We didn’t want to dwell on the past, if we did we couldn’t win today. We wanted to get the first loss out of the system, we had another bad game and we wanted to get this one out of the system. Today I thought the bowling attack did very well to restrict them to 132. said the winning captain, Sikandar Raza, at the post-match presentation.
Despite the loss, Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1, having dominated the first two games with commanding performances. In the first game, Pakistan secured a 57-run victory, followed by a ten-wicket demolition in the second T20I. However, Zimbabwe’s spirited effort in the final match earned them a deserved consolation victory.
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