Zimbabwe secured a dramatic two-wicket win over Pakistan in the third and final T20I at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, on Thursday. The victory was guided by a stellar performance from Brian Bennett, who was named Player of the Match for his composed knock of 43 runs off 35 balls, featuring six boundaries and a six.
Chasing a modest target of 133 runs, Zimbabwe reached the finish line on the penultimate ball of the match. Despite losing eight wickets during their chase, valuable contributions from captain Sikandar Raza (19 off 20), Tadiwanashe Marumani (15 off 6), Dion Myers (13 off 18), and Tinotenda Maposa (12 off 4) bolstered their efforts.
For Pakistan, Abbas Afridi led the bowling attack with impressive figures of 3/24. Jahandad Khan picked up 2/30, while Salman Agha (1/19) and Sufiyan Muqeem (1/19) chipped in with one wicket each. However, their collective efforts couldn’t prevent Zimbabwe from snatching the victory in a nail-biting finish.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first, managing only 132/7 in their 20 overs. Captain Salman Agha was the top scorer with 32 off 32 balls, supported by Arafat Minhas (22* off 26), Tayyab Tahir (21 off 14), Qais Akram (20 off 15), and Abbas Afridi (15 off 14). Zimbabwe’s bowlers kept the visitors in check, with Blessing Muzarabani taking two crucial wickets. Wellington Masakadza (1/24), Richard Ngarava (1/27), Tinotenda Maposa (1/12), and Ryan Burl (1/15) each claimed a wicket.
Brief Score:
- Pakistan 132/7 in 20 overs (Zimbabwe, Pakistan 32, Arafat Minhas 22*; Blessing Muzarabani 2/25)
- Zimbabwe 133/8 in 19.5 overs (Brian Bennett 43, Sikandar Raza 19; Abbass Afridi 3/24).