Pakistan stunned by Zimbabwe in Perth thriller

PERTH: Zimbabwe pulled off a stunning one-run upset over Pakistan in a final-ball thriller on Thursday to register their first Super 12 win at the Twenty20 World Cup and put the Asian giants in danger of an early exit.

Zimbabwe were restricted to 130-8 after electing to bat first but their bowlers choked Pakistan to 129-8 for a memorable win.

It was Pakistan’s second straight loss after their agonising, opening defeat to arch-rivals India, who top the group with two victories out of two.

Zimbabwe, who came through the first round in Australia to reach the Super 12, are third in Group 2 behind South Africa.

Only the top two reach the semi-finals.

“It’s so special, especially for the work that we did to get into the Super 12s and we didn’t want our tournament to end there,” said Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine. “We wanted to come in and play some really good cricket against some top teams, and I thought we did that exceptionally well today.”

Pakistan are fifth in the group and next play the Netherlands at the same Perth venue on Sunday. They must win their remaining three matches and hope other results go their way to stand any chance of moving into the final four.

“Very disappointing performance by my team,” said Pakistan skipper Babar Azam. “We were not up to the mark in the batting. To be honest it’s hard. We will sit and discuss the mistakes and come back strongly.”

Pakistan’s chase looked on course when Shan Masood, who made 44, put on a 52-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shadab Khan.

But Sikandar Raza broke the stand with Shadab’s wicket and was to be Pakistan’s tormentor-in-chief, returning figures of 3-25.

Raza, a finger spinner, then trapped Haider Ali lbw on the next ball for nought to be on a hat-trick that was averted by Mohammad Nawaz.

But he further pegged back the Asian side with his off-spin, having Shan stumped off a wide.

“I’m lost for words, my throat’s dry probably because of all the emotions,” Raza said. “The way our seamers started at the top as well is just unbelievable and the way we backed it up in the field and the way we kept believing, I don’t think there’s any words I can share right now.”

Fresh off a horror last over against India that cost his side the match, Nawaz’s nightmare tournament continued when he was caught for 22 off the penultimate ball of the match off the bowling of Brad Evans (2-25), who had an 11-run cushion in the last over.

Needing three on the final ball, new batsman Shaheen Shah Afridi bunted the ball down the ground in what under normal circumstances would only end up being a single.

But with Pakistan needing two to send it to a Super Over, Shaheen tried to scramble back for the second.

Zimbabwe fans would have had their hearts in their mouths when wicket-keeper Regis Chakabva fumbled the incoming throw. But when Chakabva recovered from the juggle and whipped off the bails, it sparked wild celebrations among Zimbabwe’s players.

“I’m just happy that I managed to gather it in the end,” Chakabva said. “It did skid a little bit, and coming at pace like that I had to try to watch it. Fortunately, it stuck in the end.

“I can’t even describe the feeling [when the bails came off]. I was more theatrical than I’ve ever been. It’s such a massive win for us, and it means so much to the boys.

“The people back home have been superb. The whole nation has been behind us. We’ve already seen some videos from back home, in every place people celebrating. We can see what it means to them.”

Earlier in Pakistan’s reply, Babar got off the mark with a boundary after seven dots, but soon got out to Evans to extend his bad run in the tournament. He fell for a duck against India.

Mohammad Rizwan hit a four and a six but followed his partner back to the dugout after chopping an in-coming delivery from pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani on to his stumps.

Pakistan were in trouble at 36-3 when Luke Jongwe sent back Iftikhar Ahmed for five with his medium-pace bowling, before Shan and Shadab pulled things back for a while.

After losing the toss earlier, Pakistan’s much-vaunted pace attack bowled too full in the powerplay overs, conceding 47 runs, although quick wickets to dismiss the Zimbabwe openers kept the rate in check.

Signalling a return to form after scoring one in his side’s washout against South Africa on Monday, all-rounder Sean Williams (31) found the boundary three times and looked set to accelerate with the score at 95-3 and six overs remaining.

Spinner Shadab (3-23) clean-bowled the left-hander before he had the chance though, triggering a collapse in which four wickets fell in six deliveries with no runs added.

Late runs from Evans (19 off 15 balls) gave the African side the lift they ultimately needed.

Pakistan v Zimbabwe
Scoreboard

ZIMBABWE:

W. Madhevere lbw Wasim 17

C. Ervine c Wasim b Haris 19

M. Shumba c&b Shadab 8

S. Williams b Shadab 31

Sikandar Raza c Haris b Wasim 9

R. Chakabva c Babar b Shadab 0

R. Burl not out 10

L. Jongwe b Wasim 0

B. Evans b Wasim 19