HARARE, April 23: Despite skipper Babar Azam’s 41-run knock Pakistan suffered a shocking 19-run defeat in a low-scoring second T20I against Zimbabwe here at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.
Chasing 119, barring Babar, Mohammed Rizwan (13) and Danish Aziz (22), no visiting batter was able to cross the double figure-mark.
In fact, no batsman was able to score above six runs for Pakistan from the lower middle-order and the tailenders.
The run-chase looked easy for the visitors as long as Babar stayed at the crease. Opener Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman (2) departed cheaply inside the first eight overs.
Mohammad Hafeez supported skipper Babar in building the innings after early wickets but the former too departed after scoring just five runs.
Babar got support from Aziz and stitched a 22-run brief partnership for the fourth wicket. Luke Jongwe broke the partnership and sent Babar back to the pavilion in the 16th over.
Babar’s wicket brought the hosts back in the game and after that Pakistan kept on losing wickets at regular intervals.
In the next over, Aziz departed after scoring 22 runs. At that time, Pakistan was 79/5 in 16.2 overs.
Jongwe didn’t give any change to Pakistan for a fightback as he returned figures of 4-18 in his 3.5 overs. He was also adjudged the Player of the Match. Pakistan collapsed from 79/5 to 99 in no time.
Apart from Jongwe, Ryan Burl bagged two scalps while Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava took one wicket each.
Earlier, a spirited bowling performance from Pakistan restricted the hosts to 118/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe scored 34 runs while middle-order batters Regis Chakabva (18) and Wesley Madhevere (16) also contributed briefly to the total.
For Pakistan, Mohammad Hasnain and Aziz bagged two wickets each.
Brief Scores:
Zimbabwe 118/9 in 20 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 34; Hasnain 19-2);
Pakistan 99 in 19.5 overs (Babar Azam 41, Danish Aziz 22; Luke Jongwe 4-18). (ANI)
