Zimbabwe fight back to win final T20I against Pakistan by two wickets

In response to Pakistan's 133-run target, the hosts chased it down in the final over

Zimbabwe staged a remarkable comeback to win the final T20I of the three-match series against Pakistan, chasing down a target of 133 runs in a nail-biting finish.

However, despite the defeat, Pakistan won the series 2-1. The match, held at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Pakistan, opting to bat first, faced an early collapse as they lost three wickets for just 19 runs. Salman Agha (32) and Tayyab Tahir (21) provided some stability, helping the team recover to a total of 132 runs. Qasim Akram (20) and Arafat Minhas (22) also contributed with handy knocks to push Pakistan to a somewhat competitive total.

In reply, Zimbabwe got off to a solid start, with opener Brian Bennett anchoring the innings with a vital 40 runs. Captain Sikandar Raza chipped in with a useful 19 runs.

However, the turning point came when Wellington Masakadza and Tinotenda Maposa pushed the chase closer in the final stages, and despite a late scare from Pakistan’s bowlers, Zimbabwe managed to cross the line in the last over.

Playing XIs:

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan (wk), Omair Bin Yousuf, Salman Agha (c), Tayyab Tahir, Qasim Akram, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Sufiyan Muqeem, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Hasnain.

Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Clive Madande, Tashinga Musekiwa, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Tindotenda Maposo.