Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in T20 Tri-Nation series

Rawalpindi: In the first T20 match of the tri-nation series, Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe by 5 wickets in a thrilling contest.

Played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan successfully chased Zimbabwe’s target of 148 runs, reaching it with 5 wickets down in the final over. Usman Khan contributed a crucial 37 runs, while Mohammad Nawaz remained unbeaten on 20, playing a key role in Pakistan's victory.

Fakhar Zaman scored 45 runs, Saeem Ayub made 22, and Sahibzada Farhan added 16 before being dismissed. Babar Azam failed to open his account, and captain Salman Ali Agha was dismissed for just 1 run.

Zimbabwe’s Brad Evans claimed 2 wickets, while the other three bowlers each took 1 wicket.

Earlier, Zimbabwe batted first and set a target of 148 runs in 20 overs. The opening pair gave their team a solid start with a 72-run partnership, but once the openers were dismissed, the rest of the batting lineup crumbled.

The falling wickets put constant pressure on the Zimbabwean batters, and they managed to score only 147 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted overs.

Zimbabwe's opener, Brian Bennett, played a brilliant knock of 49 runs, while Marumani added 30 runs before being dismissed. Captain Sikandar Raza remained unbeaten on 34.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz took 2 wickets, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Saeem Ayub, and Abrar Ahmed each claimed 1 wicket.