Sports
Zimbabwe trounce Pakistan to tie three-match series 1-1
In the second match of the three-match series, Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 19 runs to make history by winning the first-ever T20 against Pakistan.
Zimbabwe gave Pakistan a target of 119 runs to win. However, the entire Pakistan team could only pile up 99 runs in 19.5 overs.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and invited Zimbabwe to bat first.
Zimbabwe's innings was started by Tanashi Kaman Hakamwi and Brendon Taylor but Brendon Taylor made only 5 runs and fell victim to Faheem Ashraf.
The host scored 118 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
For Pakistan, Danish Aziz and Mohammad Hasnain took 2 wickets each while Faheem Ashraf, Usman Qadir, Arshad Iqbal and Haris Rauf took one wicket each.
In reply, Pakistan was all out for 99 in 19.5 overs, with Babar Azam top-scoring 41 runs. Pakistan's 7 players could not enter the double figures, including Fakhr Zaman, Hafeez, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf and Arshad Iqbal.
Keep in mind that the three-match ODI series is now tied at one.
The third and final match of the series will be played on April 25. This will be followed by a series of two Test matches.
Tarisai Musakanda has replaced Ervine in the T20I squad for the remaining two games.
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf.
Zimbabwe squad
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe (capt), Sean Williams, Tarisai Musakanda, Brendan Taylor, Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Luke Jongwe and Chakabva Regis
The schedule of the T20I series
April 21: 1st T20I; Pakistan Won
April 23: 2nd T20I; Zimbabwe Won
April 25: 3rd T20I; Harare Sports Club, Harare
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has defeated South Africa by 3-1 in their recent four-match T20I series while Zimbabwe lost by 0-3 in their last three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
Earlier in 2020, Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe by 2-1 in the One Day Internationals (ODI) series and then swept them 3-0 in the T20I series.
Both the teams have played fourteen T20I matches against each other till now where Pakistan won 13 of those matches against Zimbabwe.