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In another major upset at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022, Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by a solitary run at Optus Stadium in Perth on Thursday.
On any given day, chasing the paltry target of 131 could’ve been a cakewalk for the Men in Green but not tonight as Zimbabwe bowlers kept the pressure and the contest went down to the wire with Pakistan needing three runs on the final ball.
Brad Evans bowled a full delivery outside off, and Shaheen Afridi smacked it towards long-on but couldn’t clear. The fielder held his nerve and threw the ball at the batting end to effect a run-out.
However, wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva fumbled to pick up the 𝓰throw at one end before dislodging the bails. But he managed to recover just in time and eventually ran out Afridi as Zimbabwe won the thriller by 1 run.
Earlier, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Shadab Khan bowled tremendous spells to restrict Zimbabwe to a below-par total. Though Zimbabwe started pretty well, with Wesley Madhevere (17) and captain Craig Ervine (19) adding a quickfire 42-run stand for the opening w𒁃icket.
But as soon as Ervine was dismissed by Haris Rauf, it opened the floodgates🌌 as Zimbabwe kept losing wickets at regular intervals only to reach 130/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
While Wasim picked up a 4-wickets haul for 24, Shadab bagged three scalps while conceding 23 runs in his quota of 4 overs. Senior batter Sean Williams with 31 from ♛28 deliveries, was the top scorer for Zimbabweꦯ.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
🇿🇼 beat Pakistan 🇵🇰 by one run! 🔥 |
— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv)
It’s not an upset.. It was alwa🥂ys Zimbabwe’s match. Bad day for neighbours. 😅
— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit)
Terrific win for Zimbabwe👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. The🧸y just never give up✅. Outstanding
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi)
Zimbabwe!!!! 🤯🤯 what a World 🍸Cup this has been so far 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
— Kate Cross (@katecross16)
Bhai kya badla le liya teri team ne Fraud Pak Bean 🌠ka. Gr🎃eat revenge
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
Zimbabwe 😳😳😳 Amazing! 💥🙌🏾
— Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Bre🦄nt MBE (@ejrainfordbrent)
Won’t call the result an upset, if you watched the match you know Zimbabwe played top cricket from ball #1 and showed how to defend a l🗹ow total on a batting pitch. Congratulations on the win, your passion and hard work shows
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial)
Well played zim🙌🏾
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher)
Anoth🔥er great game of c🌠ricket! Wow! Well done Zim 👏🏼
— Sam Billings (@sambillings)
What a spell by Sikandar Raza.
3 for 25 off 4 overs.
Brought back Zimbabwe in the game.
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom)
There should be a lot of franchise teams pencilling in Raza after th🍎ese recent performances. Four wicket taking overs and genuine quality with the bat.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek)
Congratulations Zimbabwe, came to P♈erth with a simple game plan and toppled Pakistan. Last ball affairs to much for the team in green.
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg)
— Patrick Noone (@patnoonecricket)
ZIMBABWE DEFENDED 130 runs AGAINST PAKISTAN.
What a moment in World Cup.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Zimbabwe winning a T20 World Cuꦆp match against a full-member team:
v Australia in 2007
v Ireland in 2022
v Pakistan in 2022— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Zimbabwe beat Pakistan 🙌🏽
And do not call this an upset. It'd be disrespectful to who've played so well and deserve all the respect and praise. Pic unrelated 😛— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14)
No way Pakistan lost to Zimbabwe only to show how valuable are Babar Azam's runs against them.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer)
Sikandar Raza's World Cup so far: 5 matches, 145 runs at a strike rate of 149, 8 wickets at 12, 3 player of the match awards
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig)
Rem🎐arkably, the time between Regis Chakabva dropping the ball and breaking the stumps was clocked at 4 days and 17 hours♋, and still somehow it feels longer
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket)
Wow! What a massive victory for Zimbabwe.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell)
