Rizwan, Hasan power Pakistan to T20 series win over Zimbabwe

Published April 26, 2021
PAKISTAN pacer Hassan Ali bowls during the final Twenty20 International on Sunday.—AP
PAKISTAN pacer Hassan Ali bowls during the final Twenty20 International on Sunday.—AP

HARARE: Mohammad Rizwan struck 91 off 60 balls and pacer Hasan Ali grabbed four wickets as Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe by 24 runs on Sunday to win the Twenty20 international series 2-1 at Harare Sports Club.

The day was a memorable one for Pakistan captain Babar Azam who became the fastest batsman to reach 2,000 Twenty20 international runs, achieving the feat in 52 innings, four fewer than Indian superstar Virat Kohli.

Kohli has scored 3,159 runs in the 20-over format, but it took him 56 innings to pass the 2,000-run landmark. After Babar and Kohli come Australia skipper Aaron Finch (62 innings) and former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum (66).

Rizwan continued his brilliant form with the bat on the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe as the opener followed an unbeaten 82 in the first match.

Babar won the toss, opted to bat and the tourists made 165-3 in 20 overs as they sought redemption after a shock 19-run second match loss.

Babar quickest 2,000 runs in shortest format

The batting of Rizwan and Babar (52) and the bowling of recalled Hasan (4-18) ensured Pakistan would not suffer the humiliation of losing twice to minnows Zimbabwe within three days.

HARARE: Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot as Zimbabwe wicket-keeper Regis Chakabva looks on during the third Twenty20 International at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.—AFP
HARARE: Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot as Zimbabwe wicket-keeper Regis Chakabva looks on during the third Twenty20 International at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.—AFP

Zimbabwe made a bold bid for victory, though, reaching 101 for one after 13 overs before being undone by the loss of three wickets within 15 balls for the addition of just eight runs.

As the Pakistan bowlers tightened their grip, only Brendan Taylor (20) made a meaningful score and the hosts finished on 141-7.

It was the second successive T20 series success for the tourists after beating South Africa 3-1 before travelling to Harare.

Rizwan cracked three sixes and five fours as Pakistan exceeded the expectations of Babar, who believed it would be a challenge to surpass 140 on what he considered a bowler-friendly pitch.

After the loss of Sharjeel Khan for 18 off the last ball of the fourth over, Rizwan and Babar put on 126 runs for the second wicket before the captain was out for 52 in the final over.

Medium pacer Luke Jongwe, the star of the shock Zimbabwe victory, was once again the most impressive bowler, taking the three wickets while conceding 37 runs.

Needing to score at a rate of 8.3 runs an over to overtake Pakistan and achieve a historic first bilateral T20 series victory, Zimbabwe began promisingly.

Unperturbed by the loss of Tarisai Musakanda for 10, fellow opener Wesley Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani speedily put on 65 runs in a second-wicket stand.

But when Marumani (35) was bowled by Mohammad Hasnain, Pakistan took control and Madhevere (59) and Regis Chakabva (0) soon followed to the change room.

Hasan excelled among the Pakistan bowlers, and Haris Rauf (2-34) atoned for a costly earlier spell by capturing two wickets in the final over.

Pakistan will now take on Zimbabwe in a two-Test series, also in Harare, with the first one starting from Thursday.

PAKISTANI players with the trophy after winning the Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe on Sunday. Pakistan clinched the series 2-1 after beating the hosts by 24 runs in the third and final match at Harare Sports Club. Mohammad Rizwan scripted the victory with an unbeaten 91, helping his side to 165-3 on a slow surface. Hasan Ali took a career-best 4-18 and halted Zimbabwe’s progress after the home side had made a promising start by reaching 101-1 off 13 overs. Zimbabwe finished at 141-7, falling well short of the target.—AFP
PAKISTANI players with the trophy after winning the Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe on Sunday. Pakistan clinched the series 2-1 after beating the hosts by 24 runs in the third and final match at Harare Sports Club. Mohammad Rizwan scripted the victory with an unbeaten 91, helping his side to 165-3 on a slow surface. Hasan Ali took a career-best 4-18 and halted Zimbabwe’s progress after the home side had made a promising start by reaching 101-1 off 13 overs. Zimbabwe finished at 141-7, falling well short of the target.—AFP

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Mohammad Rizwan not out 91

Sharjeel Khan c Muzarabani b Jongwe 18

Babar Azam c Burl b Jongwe 52

Fakhar Zaman c Burl b Jongwe 0

Hasan Ali not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-2) 4

TOTAL (for three wkts, 20 overs) 165

FALL OF WKTS: 1-35 (Sharjeel), 2-161 (Babar), 3-161 (Fakhar).

DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Qadir, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf.

BOWLING: Muzarabani 4-0-35-0; Ngarava 4-0-34-0 (1nb); Jongwe 4-0-37-3 (1nb); Masakadza 4-0-24-0; Burl 4-0-33-0.

ZIMBABWE:

W. Madhevere c Sarfaraz b Hasan 59

T.K. Musakanda lbw b Hasan 10

T. Marumani b Hasnain 35

B.R.M. Taylor c Rizwan b Haris 20

R.W. Chakabva c Sharjeel b Hasan 0

S.C. Williams c Faheem b Hasan 9

L.M. Jongwe c Hasan b Haris 5

W.P. Masakadza not out 0

B. Muzarabani not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-3) 3

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 141

DID NOT BAT: R.P. Burl, R. Ngarava.

FALL OF WKTS: 1-37 (Musakanda), 2-102 (Marumani), 3-109 (Madhevere), 4-110 (Chakabva), 5-133 (Williams), 6-139 (Jongwe), 7-141 (Taylor).

BOWLING: Mohammad Hasnain 4-0-26-1; Hasan Ali 4-0-18-4; Faheem Ashraf 4-0-30-0; Haris Rauf 4-0-34-2; Usman Qadir 2-0-17-0; Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-13-0.

RESULT: Pakistan won by 24 runs to win three-match series 2-1.

UMPIRES: I. Chabi (Zimbabwe) and L. Rusere (Zimbabwe).

TV UMPIRE: C. Phiri (Zimbabwe).

MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Hasan Ali.

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Mohammad Rizwan.

FIRST MATCH: Harare, Pakistan won by 11 runs.

SECOND MATCH: Harare, Zimbabwe won by 19 runs.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.