Twitter Reactions: Zimbabwe eke out two-wicket win in low-scoring Bulawayo thriller

Zimbabwe Team (Photo Source: Zimbabwe Cricket)

Pakistan couldn’t complete a whitewash over Zimbabwe in the T20I series as the African nation won the inconsequential third and final match at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Thursday, December 5.

The tourists won the toss and opted to bat first but the Zimbabwean bowlers came hard at them from the outset. Pakistan lost three wickets in the first four overs with only 19 runs on the scoreboard. Captain Salman Ali Agha top-scored with a run-a-ball 32 to steady the ship but he was run out at the wrong time. Tayyab Tahir and Qasim Akram got off to decent starts but failed to capitalise.

Arafat Minhas played a calm and composed knock of 22* as Pakistan finished on 132/7 at the end of their 20 overs. Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of the bowlers as he bagged two wickets for 25 runs in four overs. Meanwhile, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Ryan Burl, and Tinotenda Maposa chipped in with one wicket apiece.

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In reply, Zimbabwe came out swinging as Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani forged a 40-run partnership in 3.2 overs. The latter was dismissed by Salman after scoring a quickfire 15. Dion Myers and Bennett played watchfully and stitched a 33-run stand off 38 deliveries on a sluggish track. However, from 73/1, Zimbabwe slumped to 94/5 as Pakistan made a comeback of sorts.

The hosts pinned their hopes on captain Sikandar Raza, who tried to carry his team over the line. However, the experienced campaigner struggled to time the ball during his stay at the crease. Raza was eventually dismissed for a 20-ball 19 in the 18th over. Zimbabwe needed another 21 runs off the last two overs at the fall of their skipper’s wicket.

Abbas Afridi took the wicket of Masakadza in the penultimate over and conceded nine runs. Jahandad Khan was entrusted with the responsibility of bowling the last over with Zimbabwe needing 12 runs for a win. The over started brilliantly for the hosts as debutant Maposa got a lucky inside edge that rolled to the fine-leg boundary. The second delivery of the over saw the local boy nailing a pull shot to perfection as Zimbabwe needed just two more to win.

Maposa took a single off the following delivery before Zimbabwe lost their eighth wicket. Richard Ngarava walked out to the crease and took a single to end the match with one ball to spare. Zimbabwe reached home with two wickets left in the tank.

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