RAWALPINDI: Paceman Blessing Muzarabani took career best figures of 5-49 as Zimbabwe beat Pakistan in a thrilling super over finish in the third and final one-day international on Tuesday.
The actual match finished in a tie after Pakistan skipper Babar Azam hit the final delivery of the 50th over from Richard Ngarava for a boundary to level the scores at 278.
But man-of-the-match Muzarabani dismissed Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah for two runs on four balls in the super over which Zimbabwe scored off just three balls without any loss.
Despite the defeat Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1.
Azam, who finished with a run-a-ball 125 with 13 boundaries and a six, led Pakistan’s fightback and stood firm after Pakistan were set a daunting 279-run target. He added a match turning 100 for the seventh wicket with Wahab Riaz who made 52.
With 28 needed Riaz held out off Muzarabani, Babar took the fight by smashing a six in the 49th over to reduce the target to 13 off the final over.
When he finally got the strike off the last ball, Pakistan needed five which resulted in a boundary.
Muzarabani’s previous best figures of 4-47 came against Afghanistan at Bulawayo two years ago.
The series gives Pakistan 20 points and Zimbabwe ten in the One-Day Super League, the qualification process for 2023 World Cup in India.
Pakistan won the first match by 26 runs and the second by six wickets, also in Rawalpindi. (AFP)
