Zimbabwe in 8-wicket T20 loss

PAKISTAN punished lacklustre Zimbabwe to record a convincing 8-wicket win at Pindi Cricket Stadium in a day-night T20I. The sublime touch of Babar Azam providing the platform with a breezy 51 off 28 balls and well supported by Haider Ali’s powerful unbeaten 66 off 43 balls. Now the home team is two up in the three-match series and could play few more youngsters in the final match of the series on Tuesday

Zimbabwe put in by Babar, lost three early wickets, including two of their key batsmen: Brendan Taylor, chasing a wide delivery off Haris Rauf and Sean Williams playing on to Faheem Ashraf. A true batting surface and lightening quick outfield required a total of 180 plus to stay in the game.

Coming on for the 8th over, Usman Qadir started with a long hop that was pulled over the mid-wicket for maximum. He quickly settled down and send back Sikander Raza, bowled charging down the wicket to a googly and the inform Wesley Madhevre (24) sweeping to a fuller delivery. The wrist spinner does seem to have both spin and a dip to now be given a chance against big sides and selectors could play him alongside Shadab Khan, who is recovering from illness. Usman’s final figures of 3-23 off his 4 overs were deserving figures.

Top half of the Zimbabwe batting line-up, with a series of ill-judged strokes, had perished within ten overs. Pakistan could have said to have this one in the bag having reduced the opposition to 66-5 after 10 overs. In his opening spell Mohammad Hasnain conceded three fours in an over, but he too like Rauf showed plenty of aggression to push the tourists on the back foot. He finished with 3-31 off his 4 overs. Zimbabwe 100 came in the 16th over and at no stage enjoyed any momentum. Even left-handed Ryan Burl’s 32 off 22 balls which included an 88-metre six off the last ball of the innings against Wahab Riaz, could only push the total to 134-7 in 20 overs.

Fakhar Zaman, well short of his fluent best, holed out to mid-on and it was a soft dismissal. The left-handed must be in serious danger of losing his T20I place. Haider Ali, opened his account with a six over wide mid-wicket off Blessing Muzarabani and followed it with few more eye-catching hits to the fence. His batting has brought back memories of the great Inzamam-ul-Haq. With skipper Babar at the other end, Zimbabwe found it very hard going. The pair put on 50 in 32 balls and Haider raced to his personal fifty off 35 balls with his third six over the extra cover. Pakistan were home in 15.1 overs and it was a one-sided contest.

Teams

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam(c), Haider Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Wahab Riaz, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain

Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (wk), Chamu Chibhabha (c), Sean Williams, Wesley Madhevere, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chisoro, Donald Tiripano, Blessing MuzarabVictor ani, Richard Ngarava. —