Zimbabwe staged a remarkable comeback, securing a thrilling two-wicket win over Pakistan in the third and final T20I in Bulawayo on December 5. Chasing a lowly target of 133 runs, Zimbabwe eked out a narrow victory with just one ball to spare, avoiding a series whitewash against a revamped Pakistani side.
Zimbabwe shock Pakistan in 3rd T20I to avoid series sweep
Despite suffering heavy defeats in the first two matches, Zimbabwe displayed a spirited performance, excelling in all facets of the game. Both teams made changes to their playing XI, with Zimbabwe introducing debutant bowler Tindotenda Maposa.
Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, won the toss and opted to bat first, resting key players Haris Rauf and Saim Ayub. However, Zimbabwe's bowlers seized control in the powerplay, putting Pakistan on the back foot.
Pakistan's batting fiasco
Pakistan's top order, comprising Sahibzada Farhan (4), Omair Yousuf (0), and Usman Khan (5), struggled to get going, failing to reach double figures. It was Blessing Muzarabani who was particularly impressive with the ball as he picked up two early wickets to leave Pakistan lurching, and from then Pakistan never recovered. Salman Agha promoted himself up the order in an attempt to stabilise the innings. Despite his efforts, he couldn't accelerate, scoring a modest 32 runs off 32 balls.
Arafat Minhas (22) and Abbas Afridi (15) contributed some valuable runs towards the end of Pakistan's innings, helping them reach a total of 132/7. Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers, taking two wickets for 25 runs. Ryan Burl also bowled a tight spell, claiming one wicket for the hosts.
Zimbabwe's shaky chase
Zimbabwe's chase of 133 runs got off to a flying start as openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani launched a blistering attack in the powerplay. The duo formed a 40-run partnership before Marumani's dismissal gave Pakistan their first breakthrough. However, Zimbabwe's strong start had already set the tone, with the team scoring 56 runs in the powerplay for the loss of just one wicket. Pakistan fought back in the middle overs, with Abbas Afridi playing a crucial role. He picked up two quick wickets, dismissing Dion Myers and Wessly, to reduce Zimbabwe to 85/4 from a comfortable 73/1. A run-out of Ryan Burl further derailed Zimbabwe's chase, leaving them at 94/5. With the target still 21 runs away, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza's dismissal seemed to seal the deal for Pakistan. However, Tinotenda Maposa displayed nerves of steel, smashing a four and a six in the final over to secure a thrilling two-wicket victory. Despite losing the series 2-1, Zimbabwe's victory in the final T20I prevented a whitewash.
Earlier, Pakistan clinched the series opener against Zimbabwe by 57 runs and then followed it up with an emphatic 10-wicket win. However, they failed to continue their winning momentum in the third and final T20I and haplessly suffered a narrow two-wicket loss against hosts Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the winning captain Salman Ali Agha was thrilled with his team's performance in the entire series. In the post-match presentation he said:
"It's been outstanding - the way youngsters put on a show and I have been very proud of them. I would like to score more runs but I'm happy contributing with my bowling and also captaincy. It will be a long tour against South Africa, will be sore bodies but we will go there and try to win there as well. [on Saim Ayub and Muqeem] Both have a long future ahead, both will serve Pakistan for a long time. Want to thank Zimbabwe crowd - enjoyed every single game and thank you for your contribution and see you soon."