HARARE, Zimbabwe: Luke Jongwe took four wickets as Zimbabwe pulled off a surprise 19-run victory over Pakistan Friday in the second Twenty20 international of a three-match series at Harare Sports Club.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss, opted to bowl, and the tourists restricted their hosts to 118-9 with 34-run Tinashe Kamunhukamwe the only batsman to impress.
Set a run-a-ball target for victory, Pakistan lost star opener Mohammad Rizwan for only 13 and 41-run Azam was the lone batsman to star as they slumped to 99 all out off 19.5 overs.
Right-arm medium pacer Jongwe (4-18) captured the wickets of Rizwan and Azam, and those of Haris Rauf and Arshad Iqbal as the Pakistan tail collapsed.
Ryan Burl (two), Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava (one each) were the other Zimbabwean wicket-takers.
The result levelled the series at 1-1 and it will be decided at the same venue Sunday as Pakistan seek a second successive T20 series win having beaten South Africa 3-1 before traveling to Zimbabwe.
Rizwan made 82 when Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 11 runs Wednesday, but faced only 18 balls and hit one four before being caught by Tarisai Musakanda.
Fellow opener Azam lasted one hour, faced 45 balls and struck five fours before becoming the fourth Pakistan batsmen to fall, leaving the tourists on 78-4 after 15.5 overs.
With wickets falling cheaply, the tourists began the final over on 99-7 and needing 20 runs to snatch a dramatic victory.
But instead of a run fest, the wickets of Usman Qadir, Rauf and Iqbal fell without any addition to the scoreboard.
Earlier, Kamunhukamwe cracked four fours as he faced 40 deliveries in a 60-minute stand.
His innings ended when caught by Azam off the bowling of Danish Aziz, who was making his second appearance for the tourists.
Fellow opener Brendan Taylor, who missed the first match due to illness, lasted only seven balls before being caught by Mohammad Hafeez off a Faheem Ashraf delivery for five.
Apart from Kamunhukamwe, Regis Chakabva (18), Wesley Madhevere (16) and Tadiwanashe Marumani and Musakanda (13 each) reached double figures for the hosts.
Six Pakistan bowlers shared the wickets with Mohammad Hasnain (2-19) and Aziz (2-29) the most successful, while Ashraf, Iqbal, Rauf and Qadir took one each.
After the T20 series, Zimbabwe and Pakistan will play two Tests in Harare, beginning on April 29 and May 7.
Jongwe snatches four wickets as Zimbabwe surprise Pakistan in T20
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Jongwe snatches four wickets as Zimbabwe surprise Pakistan in T20
- Zimbabwe pulled off a surprise 19-run victory over Pakistan Friday in second Twenty20 international of three-match series
- Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss, opted to bowl, and the tourists restricted their hosts to 118-9
Pakistan amass 347-8 against India in U-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai
- Pakistani batter Sameer Minhas smashes 172 runs off 113 balls to help Pakistan to commanding total
- Indian bowlers Deepesh Devendran and Khilan Patel return figures of 3-83 and 2-44 respectively
ISLAMABAD: Sameer Minhas smashed a clinical 172-run knock to lead Pakistan to a commanding total of 347-8 from 50 overs in the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup tournament in Dubai on Sunday.
India, who are undefeated in the tournament so far, won the toss and put Pakistan to bat first. The decision did not pan out well for the Blue Shirts as Pakistan were off to a flying start, powered on by opener Minhas and middle-order batter Usman Khan.
The two built a 92-run partnership before Khan returned to the pavilion. Minhas, however, kept on piling the runs and went after the Indian bowlers with Ahmed Hussain, who scored 56 runs off 72 balls.
“Sameer Minhas’ monumental knock powers Pakistan to 347-8,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wrote on social media platform X. “Over to the bowlers after the break.”
None of the Pakistani batters impressed after Minhas departed on 172 from 113 balls, with Farhan Yousaf managing a score of 19 and Huzaifa Ahsan going for a duck and Mohammad Shayan scoring only seven runs.
Deepesh Devendran was the pick of the Indian bowlers, returning figures of 3-83 while Khilan Patel finished with 2-44. Henil Patel also chipped in with figures of 2-62 from his 10 overs.
India will look toward explosive left-handed batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to start off aggressively and help his team chase the mammoth title in the final against Pakistan.
