Muqeem’s Five-Wicket Haul Leads Pakistan to T20 Series Victory Over Zimbabwe with Record-Breaking Win
Pakistan sealed a dominant 10-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Bulawayo to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series, with one game still to play. The crushing win also marked the biggest victory by balls remaining between two Full Members in men’s T20I cricket.
Pakistan’s wrist spinner, Sufiyan Muqeem, was the standout performer, producing the best-ever figures by a Pakistan bowler in T20Is. He claimed 5 wickets for just 3 runs, leading his team to an incredible win after Zimbabwe were skittled for a mere 57 runs. The Zimbabwean collapse came in dramatic fashion, as they lost all 10 wickets in just 20 runs, setting a new record for their lowest total in T20I cricket.
Pakistan wasted no time in chasing down the target, reaching 61 for 0 off just 33 balls, with Saim Ayub (36*) and Omair Yousuf (22*) seeing them home comfortably with 14.3 overs to spare. This victory came on the back of a 57-run win in the series opener, securing the T20 series for Pakistan with one match remaining.
Zimbabwe’s Promising Start Quickly Derailed
It was difficult to believe in hindsight, but Zimbabwe started their innings with a flourish. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani took the attack to Pakistan’s bowlers, especially Jahandad Khan and Abrar Ahmed, who were dispatched for several boundaries in the opening overs. The surface appeared to be conducive for batting, and Zimbabwe had reached 37 for 0 by the end of the fourth over.
But the tide turned dramatically from that point onward. Abbas Afridi got the breakthrough by dismissing Marumani, caught at cover-point, in the very next over. Haris Rauf then took Bennett’s wicket off the first ball of his next over, and Zimbabwe’s momentum completely stalled. Zimbabwe’s batting line-up collapsed further as Afridi struck again, removing Sikandar Raza with a ball that rattled his stumps.
Pakistan’s skipper, Salman Agha, then brought himself into the attack and claimed Dion Myers’ wicket off just his fourth delivery. From there, it was all about Muqeem, who took charge of the proceedings. With his wrist-spin and deceptive wrong’un, Muqeem left Zimbabwe’s lower-middle order helpless. Ryan Burl was trapped in front by a googly, and Tashinga Musekiwa was bowled for a golden duck by another wrong’un.
Clive Madande survived a hat-trick ball but couldn’t escape Muqeem’s second spell. Muqeem picked up two more wickets in his next over before finishing the innings by dismissing Madande, who top-edged a delivery. The Pakistan spinner’s remarkable figures of 2.4-0-3-5 set a new benchmark in T20I bowling for his country.
Pakistan’s Easy Chase
The chase was a formality for Pakistan, who made quick work of the target set by Zimbabwe. After Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza opted to bowl first, the Pakistan openers took to the field with calm confidence. Omair Yousuf set the tone by smashing 11 runs off Raza’s first over.
Saim Ayub soon joined the attack, carving Richard Ngarava over the slips for a boundary. Blessing Muzarabani, struggling in the series, proved no obstacle as both Ayub and Yousuf dispatched him to the fence. Yousuf’s six over deep point off Muzarabani was a particular highlight, showcasing his growing confidence.
Ayub wasn’t to be outdone, effortlessly dispatching a whip off Trevor Gwandu for six behind square leg. As Muzarabani continued to bowl poorly, Ayub punished him with two more boundaries, sealing Pakistan’s 10-wicket victory.
The match ended in such ease that even under the blistering heat of Bulawayo, when Pakistan’s openers took off their helmets and shook hands, there was scarcely a bead of sweat on their foreheads, such was the ease of their chase.
Captain’s Reactions
Pakistan captain Salman Agha was full of praise for his team’s execution, particularly Muqeem’s outstanding performance. “Losing the toss didn’t concern us because we had our plans in place, and we executed them to perfection. Sufiyan’s bowling was exceptional. We have a young squad, full of quality players, and their performances are really encouraging.”
Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza, however, was visibly frustrated. “We are hurting right now and in a pretty bad place,” he admitted. “My biggest concern is whether we are learning from our defeats because we seem to keep making the same mistakes, match after match.”
Pakistan’s Historic Win and What’s Next
With this dominant victory, Pakistan completed a white-ball series double over Zimbabwe, having already won the ODI series 2-1 just last week. The final T20I match will be played on Thursday, before Pakistan heads to South Africa for an eight-match tour, which includes two Test matches.
For Zimbabwe, it was a painful defeat, and they will be looking to regroup and learn from their mistakes as they continue their build-up towards future challenges.
