(Cricket news) Sikandar Raza's three wickets helped Zimbabwe scripted a come-from-behind win to down Pakistan by 1-run and have astrong case for qualification to the semifinals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022. For the second game in a row, Pakistan let a winning game slip away from their hands in the last over of the game, as they failed to score 4 runs off the last 4 balls, chasing 131 for a win. Pakistan were in a comfortable position mid-way through the 14th over at 88 for 3, with Shadab Khan and Shan Masood getting a half-century stand. With victory in sight, Pakistan just choked trying to improve on their Net Run Rate but that was a wrong tactic from the team management.
With only 43 runs needed off 38 balls, there wasn't any reason for Pakistan to panic. However, Raza started the comeback when he trapped Haider Ali leg before off the first ball to trigger a collapse. In his next over, he got the main wicket of Shan Masood as Pakistan were reduced to 94 for 6 in 15.1 overs. The Zimbabwe bowlers bowled hard lengths which proved difficult for the lower order batters to put away. The required rate was mounting up but still they needed just11 runs in the final over. In the last over which was bowled by Brad Evans, Wasim hit a boundary to bring the equation down to 4 runs in 4 balls as the onus was on Nawaz in the last over and he failed to take the team over the line again. He was beaten by a length delivery that saw him top edge a swipe to mid off which left Shaheen Afridi to get three runs off the last ball. He scampered through for a non-existent two and was eventually run out.
In the first innings, Shaheen Afridi conceded 14 runs from his opening over which was his most expensive first over in T20Is as the Zimbabwean openers combined to add 42 runs in 5 overs before Ervine got out to Haris Rauf when he got caught at fine leg. Even though both the openers fell followed by the dismissal of Milton Shumba, their innings was controlled by Williams and Raza, who continued to attack the Pakistani bowlers. The veteran duo stitched a partnership of 31 runs in 4.1 overs and had laid down a solid platform for the rest of the other batsmen. But in a matter of six balls, Shadab and Wasim got four wickets, reducing Zimbabwe from 95 for 3 to 95 for 7. Evans and Luke Jongwe hit some useful runs towards the end, but a brilliant spell by Haris Rauf ensured that they could only get 130 for 8, even though it looked like 160 was likely total.
Having shared points with South Africa and beaten Pakistan, Zimbabwe are surprisingly well placed to make a strong case for a semifinal berth. They will now be heading to Brisbane to face Bangladesh on October 30 with a do or die attitude in every match. Pakistan, on the other hand, are in a pretty tight situation and would need several other results to go their way, but they face Netherlands in Perth on Sunday.
Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 130/8 in 20 overs (Sean Williams 31, Brad Evans 19; Mohammad Wasim Jr 4-24, Shadab Khan 3-23) beat Pakistan 129/8 in 20 overs (Shan Masood 44, Mohammad Nawaz 22; Sikandar Raza 3-25, Brad Evans 2-25) by 1 runs
Also read: Bumrah's absence doesn't mean we start doing extra stuff: Bhuvneshwar
