Zimbabwe deny Pakistan clean-sweep with 2-wicket win in last-over thriller

Zimbabwe eked out a two-wicket win in a thrilling third T20I against Pakistan on Thursday, December 5 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. With 12 runs needed in the final over, Tinotenda Maposa, who not only made his T20I debut but also played his first-ever T20 match, took the attack to Jahandad Khan to take the hosts past the finish line, denying Pakistan a whitewash.

After opting to bat, Pakistan lost Sahibzada Farhan, Omair Yousuf and Usman with their score at 19 for three in four overs. Tayyab Tahir, who won the Player of the Match award in the first game, injected momentum with a 21-run knock off 14 balls before Maposa accounted for his wicket.

Skipper Salman Agha scored a run-a-ball 32 after which he was run out. Qasim Akram, Arafat Minhas and Abbas Afridi stayed not out on 20, 22 not out, and 15, taking Pakistan to a respectable 132 for



seven. Blessing Muzarabani was the standout Zimbabwean bowler with figures of 4-0-25-2.

Zimbabwe had their fair share of troubles in their run-chase as they lost wickets in quick succession. Brian Bennett held one end up with a knock of 43 off 35 balls, laced with six fours and a six. Tadiwanashe Marumani threw his bat to make 15 off six before Salman sent him back.

Dion Myers also struggled as he managed only 13 runs at a strike-rate of 72.22. After Sikandar Raza got out for 19 off 20, Zimbabwe found themselves under pressure with 21 runs needed off 12 balls.

That Tashinga Musekiwa had a painful vigil, scoring seven off 17, did not help Zimbabwe. But Maposa made sure that Zimbabwe held their nerves in the last over. After he got out with two balls left, Richard Ngarava took a single to take the hosts home with one ball to spare.