HARARE: Pakistan won the 3-match series here by beating Zimbabwe in the third T20I by 24-runs here at the Sports Club on Sunday 25th of April with enormous contribution of half centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Babar.
Pakistan, that opted to bat first after winning the toss, gave a target of 166 runs to the host team that was restricted to 141 for seven. Rizwan, who remained unbeaten, scored 91 (with the help of 5 fours and three sixes) off 60 balls. During the course of his innings Babar became the fastest batsman to reach 2,000 runs in this format. He broke the record of Indian Skipper Virat Kohli who had taken 56 innings to reach the landmark while Babar did it in 52 innings
Zimbabwe batsman Tarisai Musakanda scored ten runs off eleven deliveries, Wesley Madhevere’s bat yielded 59 (including seven fours) off 47 balls and Sean Williams made nine runs off 7 balls. The right-arm fast bowler ended-up with match figures of four for 18 in four overs, his best in T20I career. Haris Rauf took two for 34. For Zimbabwe, Luke Jongwe picked three wickets for 37. Hasan was named player-of-the-match, while Rizwan was awarded player-of-the-series award for mustering 186 runs up.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan 165-3, 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 91 not out, Babar Azam 52; Luke Jongwe 3-37)
Zimbabwe 141-7, 20 overs (Wesley Madhevere 59, Tadiwanashe Marumani 35; Hasan Ali 4-18, Haris Rauf 2-34)
Result: Pakistan won by 24 runs
Player-of-the-match: Hasan Ali
Player-of-the-series: Mohammad Rizwan
Two test matches between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will be played here at Harare from 29th of April to 7th of May.
IInd T20I: Host Zimbabwe has beaten Pakistan by 19 runs (with one ball remaining) in the second T20I match played at the Harare Sports Club on Friday 23rd of April. Green Shirts, that opted to field first against Zimbabwe after winning the toss, limited the host to 118 runs for 9 in allocated 20 overs. From the host side Tinashe Kamunhukamwe made 34 runs, Regis Chakabva 18, Wesley Madhevere 16, Tadiwanashe Marumani 13, and Tarisai Musakanda added 13 runs.
Mohammad Hasnain sent two batsmen back to pavilion yielding 19 runs, Danish Aziz took two scalps for 29 runs, Faheem Ashraf, Arshad Iqbal, Haris Rauf and Usman Qadir took one wicket each. But Pakistan, chasing the not-so-difficult target of 119 crumbled at 99 all out. Green Shirts’ Skipper Babar Azam’s bat yielded 41 runs off 45 balls, Danish Aziz made 22 runs off 24 balls, Mohammad Rizwan scored 13 from 18 deliveries.
1st T20I: Earlier Green Shirts defeated Zimbabwe here on Wednesday 21st of April by eleven runs in the first fixture of the 3-match T20I series at the Harare Sports Club to have a 1-0 lead in the three match series.
Home team won the toss and invited Pakistan to bat. Innings of the Green Shirts was dominated by Mohammad Rizwan whose bat yielded 82 runs off 61 balls. Luke Jongwe and Wesley Madhevere picked two wickets each while Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani picked one wicket each.
Chasing the 150 runs for 7 target set by the Green Shirts, Zimbabwe’s Craig Ervine scored 34. Leg-spinner Usman Qadir dismissed three batsmen including Craig Ervine in four overs. Mohammad Hasnain got two scalps, while Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hafeez picked one wicket each.
Pakistan scored 149-7 in allocated 20 overs. Zimbabwe lost 3 for 29 runs (facing Usman Qadir) and 2 batsman for 27 (while facing Mohammad Hasnain). As a result hosts were kept to 138 for 7 in their 20 overs.
Opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe scored 29 while Luke Jongwe’s bat yielded 30 (not out) with the help of three boundaries and a six. Wesley Madhevere and Jongwe took two wickets each. Pakistan’s Babar Azam went back to the pavilion in the second over, Fakhar Zaman made 13, Danish scored Aziz 15, Mohammad Hafeez and Haider Ali five each.
Teams (1st T20I):
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (wicket keeper), Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Qadir, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf.
Zimbabwe: Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams (captain), Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva (wicketkeeper), Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava.
Umpires: Iknow Chabi (ZIM) and Langton Rusere (ZIM);
TV umpire: Christopher Phiri (ZIM); Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM).
Newspakistan.tv | YouTube Channel
