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Zimbabwe pulled off a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the third and final T20I at Queens Sports Club, denying the visitors a series clean sweep. Chasing 133, Zimbabwe reached the target with just one ball to spare, thanks to a composed knock by opening batter Brian Bennett.
Zimbabwe restricts Pakistan to 132
Electing to bat first, Pakistan posted 132/7 in their 20 overs. The innings struggled to gain momentum as Zimbabwe’s bowlers kept the batters in check. Skipper Agha Salman top-scored with 32 off 32 balls, while Tayyab Tahir (21 off 14) and Arafat Minhas (22 off 26) chipped in with useful contributions. Zimbabwe’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Blessing Muzarabani (2/25) being the standout performer.
Zimbabwe reaches the finish line after middle-order collapse
Zimbabwe’s reply started briskly with Tadiwanashe Marumani smashing 15 off 6 balls, but regular wickets kept the hosts under pressure. Brian Bennett anchored the chase with a mature 43 off 35 balls. The home team did falter in the middle, but reached the finish line with two wickets in hand and a ball remaining.
Abbas Afridi was the pick of Pakistan’s bowlers, claiming 3/24, while Jahandad Khan picked up two wickets.
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Zimbabwe beat Pakistan in 3rd T20I by 2 wickets
Scorecard 👉
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“We wanted to win the series but unfortunately we couldn’t. The desire to beat Pakistan was there and finishing with a win is incredibly satisfying. We had a tough tour but we backed the youngsters and for them to win it today was heartwarming to see. We did not want to dwell on the past, had we done so, we couldn’t have won today. We wanted to get that first loss out of the system, we had another bad game and we wanted to get that out of the system too. Today I thought the bowling attack did really well to restrict them to 132,”♒ said the winning captain, Sikandar Raza, in post-match presentation.
Despite the loss, Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1, having dominated the first two games with commanding performances. In the opener, Pakistan secured a 57-run victory, followed by a ten-wicket demolition in the second T20I. However, Zimbabwe’s spirited effort in the final match earned them a well-deserved consolation win.
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