Pakistan secured a thrilling 5-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the opening match of the T20 Tri-Series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night. The match proved to be more challenging than expected, making it an unexpected win for the home team.
Zimbabwe posted a competitive total of 147 runs for 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Their openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani gave them a flying start, scoring more than 10 runs per over during the powerplay. Marumani scored 30 runs off 22 balls before Mohammad Nawaz dismissed him. Bennett played brilliantly and kept the pressure on Pakistan throughout his innings.
Pakistan’s chase didn’t go smoothly at first. They lost key wickets early, including star batsman Babar Azam who was out for a duck on just his third ball. Captain Salman Ali Agha also departed cheaply for just 1 run. At one point, Pakistan was struggling at 54 for 4 wickets and the match seemed to be slipping away from the home side.
However, Fakhar Zaman and Usman Khan turned the game around with a crucial partnership. The duo scored freely and reduced the pressure with their aggressive batting. Fakhar remained unbeaten and hit some massive sixes to bring Pakistan closer to victory. Pakistan eventually reached the target with 26 balls remaining, winning by 5 wickets.
This unexpected victory gives Pakistan a winning start to the tri-series, which also features Sri Lanka.
