Sufiyan Muqeem (3-20), Tayyab Tahir (39 off 25) and Usman Khan (39 off 30) excelled to help Pakistan clinch 57-run victory over hosts Zimbabwe in the T20I series opener at the Queen Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.
ZIMBABWE'S INNINGS
Chasing a 166-run target, Zimbabwe were bundled out for 108 inside 16th over. The hosts lost two early wickets, when leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed perplexed both Bennett and Myers on six each.
But Zimbabwe had not lost hope and played T20I cricket on merit by launching a salvo at the Green Shirts’ bowlers.
Captain Sikandar Raza Butt was not only showing his experience but also allowed Tadiwanashe Marumani to play attacking cricket valiantly to ensure the Zimbabwe finished the batting powerplay with the herculean stuff.
But wicket of Marumani (33 off 20) stopped the entertainment for the hosts and the scalp started the slide, and it went downhill thereafter quickly.
Sikandar Raza continued to see the exits of his fellow partners, Ryan Burl (3), Clive Madande (5), before the former himself made his way back to the pavilion by scoring laboured 28-ball 39, which was the top score for his team.
Jahandad Khan removed the Zimbabwe captain, who whacked four boundaries.
With the exception of Butt and Marumani, nothing special to mention for the Zimbabwe batters.
Three of the batters, Richard Ngarava (0), Blessing Muzarabani (0), Trevor Gwandu (0) went for duck.
For Pakistan, debutant Sufiyan Muqeem (3-20) had cruised with the bowl, scooping up three wickets.
Abrar Ahmed (3-28) was also too good for the Zimbabwe batters, who also picked up three wickets.
Haris Rauf (2-17) picked up two wickets.
Jahandad Khan (1-31) took a scalp.
Abbas Afridi (0-12) remained wicketless.
PAKISTAN'S INNINGS
Earlier, opting to bat first, Tayyab Tahir (39 off 25) and Usman Khan (39 off 30) powered Pakistan to challenging 165-4 against the hosts.
Pakistan lost their first wicket on 18, when Omair Yousuf made his way back to the pavilion, scoring 13-ball 16. Saim Ayub tried to provide the impetus to the Green Shirts’ innings, before he was removed by Wellington Masakadza on 18-ball 24, complimented with two boundaries and one six.
But Usman Khan had once again tried to show resistance with the bat by amassing 30-ball 39, smashing two boundaries and two sixes each.
Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan had rebounded Pakistan’s innings to a great deal, compiling a quickfire 34-ball 65-run partnership to give the visitors a good chance to attack Zimbabwe with the new-look bowling combination.
Tahir and Irfan remained unbeaten. In his 15-ball 27, Irfan smashed three boundaries.
For Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza Butt (1-14), Wellington Masakadza (1-23), Ryan Burl (1-27) and Richard Ngarava (1-41) took a scalp each.
Blessing Muzarabani (0-41), Trevor Gwandu (0-14) remained wicketless.
The Men in Green will look to register the series win in the forthcoming match against the hosts on Tuesday.
