Five-star Sufiyan steers Pakistan to T20 series win against Zimbabwe
BULAWAYO: Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem starred in a series-clinching 10-wicket Twenty20 International rout of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Playing his seventh T20 International, the 25-year-old left-arm wrist spinner took five consecutive wickets for the loss of only three runs as Zimbabwe crumbled to 57 all out in 12.4 overs after making a promising start at the Queens Sports Club.
Pakistan then sped to 61-0 off 33 balls through Saim Ayub (36) and Omair Yousuf (22) to follow up a 57-run victory last Sunday in the first of three matches.
The victory completed a white-ball double for the tourists, who won a One-day International series 2-1 last week.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said: “Losing the toss did not concern us because we had plans and executed them really well. The bowling of Sufiyan was outstanding.
“We have a young side full of quality players and the way they are performing is very heartening for me.”
Pakistan fast bowler Abbas Afridi, who took two wickets for just two runs off his two overs, said the conditions helped bowlers.
“The wicket suited us, particularly Sufiyan who bowled really well,” right-armer Abbas said while talking to reporters.
“[As bowler] my focus was on [maintaining] line and length which paid off.”
The pacer said the Zimbabwe series was proving helpful for the Green-shirts.
“We came to Zimbabwe after learning through the series in Australia [where Pakistan lost T20 series 3-0]. We have won the series here in Zimbabwe which is a good sign for us before the series in South Africa,” he stated.
Answering a question, the fast bowler said that one could not afford to take any team lightly in T20s adding “Zimbabwe are a good team”.
Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, meanwhile, admitted his team were “all hurting and in a pretty bad place at the moment.
“My biggest concern is whether we are learning our lessons when we suffer defeats because we seem to be making the same mistakes match after match.”
Zimbabwe openers Brian Bennett (21) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (16) — the only batters to reach double figures — built a 37-run partnership in four overs.
Then, both fell within five balls, and the home team lost their 10 wickets for just 20 runs as Muqeem wreaked havoc.
Marumani was caught by Tayyab Tahir at cover point and Bennett by Irfan Khan at deep square leg at the Queens Sports Club.
All-rounder Raza, often the batting saviour for Zimbabwe, made just three before his off stump was uprooted by Abbas.
Raza was among four bowlers who had no success trying to contain Saim and Omair. The openers struck 10 boundaries, including a six each, between them.
A four from Saim past backward point sealed the victory.
Pakistan complete the T20 series against Zimbabwe on Thursday. They then travel to South Africa for an eight-match all-formats tour, including two Tests.
SCOREBOARD
ZIMBABWE:
B. Bennett c Irfan b Haris 21
T. Marumani c Tayyab b Abbas 16
D. Myers lbw Salman 3
S. Raza b Abbas 3
R. Burl lbw Sufiyan 1
C. Madande c Salman b Sufiyan 9
T. Musekiwa b Sufiyan 0
W. Masakadza c Salman b Sufiyan 3
R. Ngarava b Sufiyan 0
B. Muzarabani lbw Abrar 0
T. Gwandu not out 1
EXTRAS 0
TOTAL (all out, 12.4 overs) 57
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-37 (Marumani), 2-37 (Bennett), 3-40 (Raza), 4-44 (Myers), 5-46 (Burl), 6-46 (Musekiwa), 7-52 (Masakadza), 8-52 (Ngarava), 9-53 (Muzarabani)
BOWLING: Abrar 3-0-21-1; Jahandad 1-0-11-0; Haris 2-0-13-1; Abbas 2-1-2-2; Salman 2-0-7-1; Sufiyan 2.4-0-3-5
PAKISTAN:
Omair Bin Yousuf not out 22
Saim Ayub not out 36
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-2) 3
TOTAL (for no wicket, 5.3 overs) 61
BOWLING: Raza 1-0-11-0 (1w); Ngarava 2-0-15-0; Muzarabani 1.3-0-21-0; Gwandu 1-0-13-0
RESULT: Pakistan won by 10 wickets.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sufiyan Muqeem
SERIES: Pakistan lead three-match series 2-0.
Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2024