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29 March 2024

Akmal helps Pakistan to T20 win over Zimbabwe

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Umar Akmal's aggressive innings proved crucial in a low-scoring game as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 15 runs to win Tuesday's Twenty20 international at Harare Sports Club and sweep the two-match series.

Akmal scored 38 not out from 28 balls and added 24 runs with Imad Wasim in the last two overs of Pakistan's innings to boost the tourists' total to 136 for six, which proved beyond Zimbabwe despite Sean Williams's fighting 40 not out.

Williams shared a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Sikandar Raza Butt - the only half-century stand in the series - but was always playing catch-up after the hosts had slumped to 24 for four at the start of their chase.

Zimbabwe finished on 121 for seven, as left-arm spinner Wasim once again proved the pick of the Pakistani bowlers with figures of 1 for 14 from four overs.

"Our bowlers were good again," Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said. "Body language is very important and whatever the coach has asked, the boys have delivered."

With the game being played on the same pitch as Sunday's series opener, low and slow conditions made the going heavy for batsmen throughout.

Although Pakistan made a brighter start after they once again won the toss and opted to bat first, they lost wickets whenever their batsmen attempted to force the pace.

While Sohaib Maqsood anchored the innings with a run-a-ball 26, only Akmal and Wasim were able to take the attack to the hosts.

After struggling to gain any meaningful momentum, the tourists went into the final two overs with just 112 runs on the board and were grateful to the pair for some late blows.

With the same task that had faced them on Sunday, Zimbabwe's batsmen had an opportunity to show what they had learned but lost their top four with just 24 runs on the board.

That left the middle order with too much to do, and although Williams shared a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Sikandar Raza Butt - the only half-century stand in the series - he was always playing catch-up.

Once Raza had been bowled for 36 by Imran Khan and Elton Chigumbura's brief but entertaining stay at the crease had come to an end, Zimbabwe's hopes vanished.

"I can repeat what I said after the last game," said Chigumbura. "We were disappointing again with the bat, but the bowlers were good. We need to make sure we up our game for the ODI series."

The two sides have just one day off before the three-match one-day international series gets underway at the same venue on Thursday.

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 15 runs in the second T20 international to sweep the series 2-0 on Tuesday.

Chasing a target of 137, Zimbabwe made 121-7 with Sean Williams remaining unbeaten on 40 while Raza weighed in with 36.

Jongwe is out in the penultimate ball of the innings with Imran Khan holding onto a skier. Zim 120-7, 19.5 overs.

Luke Jongwe c & b Imran Khan 8 (7b 1x4 0x6) 

Skipper Chigumbura perishes holing out to long-on. Zim 101-6, 17.3 overs.

OUT! Elton Chigumbura c Shoaib Malik b Mohammad Irfan 17 (8b 0x4 2x6)


Chigumbura keeps alive Zimbabwe hopes by clubbing two consecutive sixes off Imran, helped by a dropped catch for the first one. Zim 99-5, 17 overs.

OUT!
Raza departs after a valiant stand of 60 with Williams as Imran Khan strikes. Zim 84-5, 16.1 overs.

Sikandar Raza b Imran Khan 36 (36b 1x4 0x6)

Williams shows some urgency reverse sweeping Afridi for a much needed boundary. Zim 69-4, 14 overs.

OUT!
Wasim claims his first wicket beating Mutumbami through the gate. Zim 24-4, 6.1 overs.

Richmond Mutumbami b Imad Wasim 3 (9b 0x4 0x6)

OUT! 
A terrible mix-up results in Afridi and Maqsood combining to run out Ervine. Zim 16-3, 4.3 overs.

Craig Ervine run out 1 (3b)

OUT!
Irfan has the last laugh as Mazakadza slashes a rising delivery to third man. Zim 15-2, 4 overs.

Hamilton Masakadza c Imran Khan b Mohammad Irfan 9 (14b 0x4 1x6)

Mazakadza brings up 1,000 runs in T20 cricket in style by clobbering giant Irfan for a maximum.

OUT!
Tanvir has struck in his second over trapping Chibhabha leg before. Ziim 7-1, 2.4 overs.

Chami Chibhabha lbw b Sohail Tanvir 3 (7b 0x4 0x6)


Pakistan innings

Akmal clubs a six off the penultimate ball of the innings to steer Pakistan to 136-6 remaining unbeaten on 38 while Imad weighed in with 13.

Panyangara and Jongwe claimed two wickets apiece.

OUT!
Afridi also perishes mistiming Panyangara straight to long-off. Pak 111-6, 17.3 overs.

Shahid Afridi c Williams b Panyangara 2 (2b 0x4 0x6)

OUT!
Jongwe strikes with a well disguised slower ball to dismiss Rizwan. Pak 106-5, 16.4 overs.

Mohammad Rizwan c Williams b Jongwe 16 (16b 1x4 0x6)

Akmal attacks slamming two consecutive boundaries off Utseya. Pak 82-4, 12 overs.

OUT!
Pakistan are stuttering yet again with Maqsood trying to hit Utseya inside out only miscuing it. Pak 72-4, 11.2 overs.

Sohaib Maqsood c Chigumbura b Utseya 26 (25b 3x4 0x6)

Rizwan is quick off the blocks cutting Cremer with the ball running to the third man fence off a thick outside edge. Pak 71-3, 11 overs.

OUT! Cremer gets a breakthrough as Malik going for a big one fails to clear long-on. Pak 64-3, 10.3 overs.

Shoaib Malik c Sikandar Raza b Cremer 15 (13b 2x4 0x6)

Malik swings Utseya for his second boundary as Pakistan step up the tempo. Pak 63-2, 10 overs.

Malik gets going glancing Cremer to fine leg for a boundary. Pak 54-2, 9 overs.

Jongwe takes the big wicket of Hafeez who clips the ball to midwicket. Pak 34-2, 6.2 overs.

OUT! Mohammad Hafeez c Utseya b Jongwe 17 (18b 3x4 0x6)

Maqsood gets into his stride cracking Raza through the covers for a boundary. Pak 33-1, 6 overs.

OUT! Panyangara draws first blood as Shehzad slices a loose ball straight to Cremer at point. Pak 24-1, 3.5 overs.

Ahmed Shehzad c Cremer b Panyangara 7 (9b 1x4 0x6)

Hafeez hits the first boundary of the match swinging a short ball from Chibhabha to backward square leg. Pak 6-0,1 over.

Afridi has won the toss for the second time in a row and has not hesitation in batting first.

Zimbabwe are unchanged while for Pakistan, Hafeez and Mohammad Irfan come in for Mukhtar Ahmed and Wahab Riaz.

Teams

Zimbabwe:
CJ Chibhabha, Sikandar Raza, H Masakadza, CR Ervine, SC Williams, E Chigumbura, R Mutumbami, LM Jongwe, P Utseya, AG Cremer, T Panyangara

Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Muhammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanvir, Imran Khan jr

Preview

Pakistan will aim to seal the two-match T20 cricket series against hosts Zimbabwe when they face off at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.

The visitors held their nerve to win the opening match on Sunday by 13 runs, defending a modest total of 136 thanks to left-arm Imad Wasim heroics.

The 26-year-old Wasim finished with figures of 4 for 11 from four overs, and was named man of the match having also contributed 19 runs from just 12 balls.

“The batsmen need to take up their responsibility,” said Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi after Sunday’s victory.

“The bowlers used the pitch, and I am very happy with the bowlers, especially Imran Khan in that last over.”

Pakistan slumped to 29 for three early in their innings as seamer Chamu Chibhabha grabbed three wickets in six deliveries.

Afridi even backed Imad to eventually replace spin ace Saeed Ajmal in the side.

“Imad displayed some extraordinary skill and he can be an alternate to Ajmal,” said the skipper.

Defeat for Zimbabwe means they have now failed to beat Pakistan in eight T20 internationals.

“We just lost too many wickets at the end,” Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said in the post match conference. “We have come close on many occasions but we keep on losing.

“I’m not going to sit here and make excuses, at the end of the day we were chasing 137 and, despite how well they bowled and how well their spinner [Imad] bowled, it’s just a score that you need to get. We were supposed to get that score, with the kind of players we have.”