sliced through the offside, and that's a somewhat tame end to a T20I that hung in the balance for a long, long time. Pakistan win by 11 runs
Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, 1st T20I at Harare, ZIM v PAK, Apr 21 2021 - Match Result
Right, so that's all from our coverage of the first T20I. Thank you so much for sticking around with Peter and me, and we'll see you again in two days time.
Babar Azam isn't exactly overjoyed. "Wasn't a convincing win," he says. "The batsmen aren't performing, but we will try and come back in the second game. When you come to these wickets after bouncy wickets, you need to adjust. If someone hung around with Rizwan, we could have put on a bigger total."
Mohammad Rizwan's unbeaten 82 gets him the Player of the match award, not surprisingly. Carried his bat once more. "They won the toss and used the pitch well. The wickets here are different, the pitch keeps low. But Babar and I have this plan where if one fails the other tries to go deep. It's working for now. In Zimbabwe, the ball doesn't quite come on to the bat, but once Hafeez fell, my aim was to get us to 150."
Sean Williams says it's "inexcusable" the number of catches Zimbabwe dropped, especially against a side like Pakistan. Says he wanted to keep Pakistan to 130, and felt that was the par total. "I feel that second partnership to accompany that third wicket partnership was missing," he says. "The wicket played into our favour and winning the toss was crucial. Inexcusable to lose a game like that"
This game's the kind Zimbabwe lose a bit too frequently, unfortunately. They fail to put struggling teams away, and Pakistan were there for putting away several times in that first innings. At the end, the 12 wides bowled, and the sloppiness in the field came back to cost them, and the frenetic nature of the chase when it should have been a cakewalk didn't quite work in the end.
Talha Nawaz: "Pakistan has defended total of under 150 thrice against ZIM and ZIM made 137, 137 and 138 this time too close"
Shariq : "Strange obsession of Masakadza's to new Zealand, hamilton and Wellington " Never really thought about that but yeah. I hear there are 14 brothers, so they could have covered all of New Zealand pretty decently if they'd been so inclined
another yorker, only just dug out for a single
oddly enough, chooses to take the single instead of going for a slog, which means Jongwe needs to get 14 off 2
there's no coming back for two on this occasion. Bat-pad from Jongwe, and Masakadza is on strike. That may finally be that for the hosts
driven to long-on and they absolutely set off for two once more. Throw goes to the wrong end, and remember Zimbabwe are still ahead of Pakistan at this stage
squeezed into the onside, Jongwe's desperate to come back for two, and he does. He needs to face all remaining deliveries, much like Rizwan did
Jassia Zafar: "Would you please tell me the speed (kph) of that yorker from Haris Rauf?" Don't think the scoreboard carried it. If it did, I didn't catch it, unfortunately
another swing and a miss, and Zimbabwe need 20 off the last over
Adil: "Last over of ZIM is hurting them now." Looks like that will be the difference between the two
Adil: "Last over of ZIM is hurting them now." Looks like that will be the difference between the two
sliced to third man, where Haris Rauf had the simplest catch. But he shells it, and Zimbabwe are still alive in this contest
slower ball, but he was lying in wait for that one. Holds his shape and clobbers him over long-off, and it goes all the way
this one's banged in short and beats him with the extra bounce. Jongwe's annoyed at himself for missing out on that
this time he goes a touch too wide as Jongwe's slog doesn't connect
gave himself room, but Hasnain saw him early and maintains a line wide outsode off, well outside the batsman's reach
what a delivery that is! Simply glorious. Almost no words to describe the sheer perfection of that yorker, at pace. Burl ends his innings on his knees as the ball takes out off stump. Really, Waqar Younis would have been proud of that
waist high full toss that Jongwe can't quite time. Just a single down to long-on
lovely slower ball, beat him all ends up. Jongwe was well through his shot before the ball had even pitched
banged it in short. Jongwe looked to help it over the keeper, but this time the connection's lacking, and he's beaten
another four! This time he opens his body up and clatters him over extra cover for a one bounce boundary!. This game is far from over
Jongwe goes across and paddles it over fine leg once more. Nearly carried all the way, that! Haris persisted with pace on, and all he did was use it as he helped it to the boundary
Zain: "Pakistan will take the game into last over."
Haris into the attack now
helped over fine leg, and that's gone all the way for six! Now then! Drifting down legside and Burl adroitly picked it up, and made sure it sailed over the ropes. 12 off that Hasnain over
Izaz: "Babar decision to persist with the spinners seems quite prescient right now"
1W | ||||
1W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Harare Sports Club | |
Toss | Zimbabwe, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2021 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | Pakistan led the 3-match series 1-0 |
Match number | T20I no. 1154 |
Hours of play (local time) | 11.00 start, First Session 11.00-12.30, Interval 12.30-12.50, Second Session 12.50-14.20 |
Match days | 21 April 2021 - day (20-over match) |
T20I debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |