Pakistan stormed into the tri-nation T20 series final with a thumping win over Zimbabwe, securing their place with a third straight victory.
Sahibzada Farhan picked up exactly where he left off in the previous game, blazing his way to a second consecutive fifty. Babar Azam also reached another half-century, bringing up a notable record along the way. Their hundred-run stand, followed by late fireworks from Fakhar Zaman and a brilliant spell from Usman Tariq, helped Pakistan cruise comfortably into the final.
In their second meeting of the tournament, Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe by 69 runs—making it three wins from three in the group stage for Salman Ali Agha’s side.
Pakistan posted 195 in 20 overs on Sunday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Chasing the target, Zimbabwe slumped to 63 for 8 before Ryan Burl’s unbeaten 67 dragged them to 126. Nine of their batters failed to reach double figures.
Babar top-scored for Pakistan with 74 off 52 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes. Sahibzada, who struck an unbeaten 80 off 45 in the previous match, smashed 63 off 41 this time, with four fours and three sixes.
Playing only his second T20I, Usman Tariq produced a sensational spell—taking a hat-trick and finishing with 4 for 18 in four overs. The 27-year-old off-spinner was deservedly named Player of the Match.
Pakistan did not begin well after choosing to bat first, losing their first wicket in the third over. Saim Ayub, who hit Brad Evans for two consecutive sixes, fell on the next ball.
Sahibzada and Babar rebuilt the innings with a big partnership. Sahibzada reached his fifty off 35 balls, while Babar completed his own fifty from 42 deliveries.
Babar’s milestone was his 38th T20I half-century—now tied with India’s Virat Kohli for the most in the format.
Since returning to the T20I squad in the South Africa series, this was Babar’s second fifty in six innings.
The 103-run stand off 77 balls ended when Sahibzada was bowled after hitting Sikandar Raza for a six the previous delivery.
Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz couldn’t contribute much, and Babar also fell shortly afterward. But Fakhar Zaman finished with a flourish—smashing three sixes and a four in the final over to take Pakistan close to 200. He survived being caught on the last ball of the innings due to the bowler overstepping, and he ended the innings with a six on the free hit.
Zimbabwe’s chase unravelled early, losing openers Tadious Marumani and Brian Bennett in the first two overs. Brendan Taylor departed in the fourth.
Raza and Burl added 34 for the fourth wicket, but once Raza fell for 23, the collapse quickened, with four wickets tumbling rapidly.
Usman Tariq completed his hat-trick in the 10th over, dismissing Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa and Wellington Masakadza off consecutive balls—without conceding a single run in the over. He became Pakistan’s fourth bowler to take a T20I hat-trick, after Faheem Ashraf (2017 vs Sri Lanka), Mohammad Hasnain (2019 vs Sri Lanka), and Mohammad Nawaz (2023 vs Afghanistan).
Usman claimed his fourth wicket by bowling Tinetenda Maposa with the last ball of his spell.
Zimbabwe were 82 for 9 and staring at being bowled out under 100, but Burl put together a record 44-run tenth-wicket stand with Richard Ngarava. This partnership surpassed Zimbabwe’s previous tenth-wicket T20I record of 29, set in 2019 against the Netherlands by Donald Tiripano and Chris Mpofu.
The stand ended with Ngarava’s run out. Burl finished unbeaten on 67 off 49 balls with eight fours and two sixes.
Both Pakistan and Zimbabwe have one match left in the group stage, with Sri Lanka as their remaining opponent.
Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in their first meeting, and a win on Tuesday would take them to the final.
Brief Scores
- Pakistan: 195/5 in 20 overs (Sahibzada 63, Saim 13, Babar 74, Faheem 3, Nawaz 4, Salman 1*, Fakhar 27*; Ngarava 1/34, Evans 1/59, Raza 2/39)
- Zimbabwe: 126 in 19 overs (Bennett 9, Marumani 4, Taylor 8, Raza 23, Burl 67*, Munyonga 1, Musekiwa 0, Masakadza 0, Evans 2, Maposa 3, Ngarava 5; Nasim 1/31, Wasim 1/25, Faheem 1/30, Nawaz 2/21, Usman Tariq 4/18)
Result: Pakistan won by 69 runs
Man of the Match: Usman Tariq
