Pakistan lost to Zimbabwe by one run in a last-ball thriller in a Super 12 game of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Perth on Thursday, enduring a blow to its hopes of advancing to the semifinals from the group stage.
Chasing a modest 131, Pakistan lost openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan cheaply in the PowerPlay. After six overs, Pakistan was 28 for two, with Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood at the crease. The two men added 52 off 36 balls for the fourth wicket and threatened to take the match away from Zimbabwe.
CHECK OUT: T20 World Cup Super 12 Points Table after the Pakistan vs Zimbabwe match
But Luke Jongwe broke the stand in the eighth over when he had Iftikhar caught behind. Pakistan then slipped from 36 for three to 94 for six in its run-chase, with off-spinner Sikandar Raza striking twice in the 14th over, getting rid of Haider Ali and Shadab Khan.
However, with Masood still out there, Pakistan had hope. Raza ensured that hope turned into concern when he had Masood stumped off a wide ball in the 16th over. Raza finished with figures of three for 25.
Zimbabwe then turned the screws on Pakistan with tidy death bowling and excellent fielding. Pakistan needed 11 to win off six balls, with Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz in the middle. Seamer Brad Evans conceded seven off the first two balls, including a four to Wasim. With four needed off as many balls, Evans conceded a single. That brought the hard-hitting left-hander Nawaz on strike. Nawaz, though, failed to get bat on ball on the fourth delivery and was caught off the fifth - for an 18-ball 22 - trying to go for the glory shot.
With the revised T20I rules requiring the new batter to be on strike, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi had the arduous task of getting three off the last ball. Shaheen hit it back down the ground. The fielder collected the ball cleanly and threw the ball towards wicketkeeper Chakabva, who fumbled before getting it back in his gloves and taking the bails off in time for Zimbabwe to register a famous win.
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