Zimbabwe claim consolation win over Pakistan

Zimbabwe won the one-over eliminator in the final ODI after scoring three runs against Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Having taken five wickets (5-49) during the quota of 50 overs, pacer Blessing Muzarabani restricted Pakistan to just two runs in the Super Over, taking both the Pakistani wickets within four balls, which made the chase a cakewalk for his side.

Earlier in the day, after winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Zimbabwe recovered from 22-3 to post a pretty decent 279-run target. Their innings anchored by centurion Sean Williams (118) after it wrecked by Mohammad Hasnain (5-26).

Pakistan’s run chase doomed from the start and they were 51-4 and 88-5 at various stages. Their captain Babar Azam (125) and Wahab Riaz (52) almost turned the game around before falling right at the death. In the end, it came down to Pakistan needing a last-ball boundary to force a Super Over. Something Muhammad Musa Khan did, courtesy a misfielding.

A man each from both the sides outshone and outplayed their opponents as well as their teammates.

From Pakistan, it was Mohammad Hasnain who picked up five of the total of six wickets that fell.

For Zimbabwe, it was Sean Williams, who took the crease. When his team was 22-3 and melting. They went on to score an unbeaten 118 and helped his side to a massively decent score of 278-6.

On a day no other Pakistani bowler found any job, Hasnain was the one-man wrecking ball. He picked up all three of the wickets up top and returned to pick another two, and could have had a sixth too.

Williams, meanwhile, fought hard, survived the early onslaught of wickets. Before building the innings with Brendan Taylor (56) first, then Wesley Madhevere (33) and then Sikandar Raza (45). Sharing half-century stands with all three to make sure the match remains interesting in the second innings.