Pakistan edge out Zimbabwe in a thriller - Pakistan v Zimbabwe 2nd T20I Review

Pakistan edge out Zimbabwe in a thriller – Pakistan v Zimbabwe 2nd T20I Review: Pakistan clinch the T20 series 2-0 against Zimbabwe, the first series in Pakistan soil after 6 years. It was a nail-biting finish here at the Gadaffi Stadium with the result being uncertain till the last over of the match.

Having won the toss and opting to bat, the Zimbabwean openers Mazakadza and Sibanda provided a good solid start with 68 runs added for the first wicket. It was disappointing for Sibanda as he missed out on his half century by one run. Sean Williams played a gem of an innings as he deposited boundaries all over the ground in what was a relentless display of batting. He smashed 58 off 32 deliveries and stayed not out till the very end. Chigumbura struck a fiery cameo at the end as he racked up 21 runs off just 9 balls. In the end Zimbabwe posted a good score of 175 on the board.

Chasing a challenging 176 for the win it was a decent start for Pakistan as they were going at a steady pace with a run rate of nearly 8 runs per over inside the powerplay. Mukhtar Ahmed carried his good form from last match and he kept hitting fours at regular intervals. While wickets kept tumbling at the other end, Ahmed hung in there and batted sensibly. Umar Akmal scored a brisk 30 off 21 balls but he too didn’t last long. Afridi hasn’t been in great form and his poor run continued as he scored just a 6 runs.

Hopes began to fade for Pakistan as Mohammed Rizwan was caught by Sikander Raza for 7 soon after Afridi’s dismissal. Pakistan fans began to feel uneasy as pressure started to pile up with just 6 runs taken in the penultimate over. 9 runs were required for the victory in the last over for Pakistan. Bilawal Bhatti faced the first ball of the last over by Vitori. The first ball was smacked to a six and Pakistan gained the upper hand.

Eventually Bilawal Bhatti ensured a thrilling win for Pakistan hitting a boundary in the 4th ball of the over. It was a wonderful effort by the Pakistanis as they held their nerves till the end in what was a nerve-wracking contest. Zimbabwe’s efforts has to be lauded though, they played their hearts out, but they couldn’t end up on the winning side.

Brief Score:

Zimbabwe 175/3 (20/20 overs)

Pakistan 176/8 (19.4/20 overs)

(Zimbabwe: SC Williams 58, S Malik 1-23; Pakistan: Mukhtar Ahmed 62, CB Mpofu 2-25)

Pakistan won by 2 wickets (with 2 balls remaining).