Zimbabwe edge Pakistan by one run; SA hammer Bangladesh

PERTH, October 27

All-rounder Sikandar Raza sensationally picked up 3/25 against Pakistan today as Zimbabwe prevailed by one run in a final-ball thriller to register their first Super 12 win at the T20 World Cup.

Floored by an extraordinary last-ball defeat to arch-rivals India in their opening match on Sunday, Pakistan find their tournament in tatters after slumping to 129/8 in 20 overs, having earlier restricted Zimbabwe to a modest 130/8. Fresh off a horror last over against India that cost his side the match, Mohammed Nawaz’s nightmare tournament continued when he was caught for 22 on the penultimate ball of the match off the bowling of Brad Evans (2/25), who had an 11-run cushion in the final over.

“Since I’ve been part of Zimbabwe cricket, I would rate that as the best victory we’ve had. There’s no better stage. This is (the) World Cup, the biggest stage of all,” Man of the Match Raza said.

Pakistan’s chase got off to a rocky start, squeezed at 36/3 in the eighth over with the world’s top-ranked T20 batsman, Mohammed Rizwan, back in the dugout for 14 having chopped a delivery from two-metre tall Blessing Muzarabani (1/18) on to his stumps. It was left to Shaan Masood to steady the ship with a composed 44, regularly exploiting the large outfield to run twos.

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

“Today we were not up to the mark in all three departments,” Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said.

Rossouw smashes ton

In Sydney, Rilee Rossouw scored the first century of the edition and built a partnership of 163 with Quinton de Kock to drive South Africa to a thumping 104-run victory over Bangladesh. Muscular lefthander Rossouw pummelled eight sixes and seven fours for his 109, while de Kock pitched in with 63 runs as the Proteas dodged the rain to rack up an imposing tally of 205/5. — Reuters

Brief scores: Zimbabwe 130/8 (Williams 31; Wasim 4/24, Shadab 3/23) vs Pakistan 129/8 (Masood 44; Raza 3/25, Evans 2/25); South Africa 205/5 (Rossouw 109, de Kock 63; Shakib 2/33) vs Bangladesh 101 (Litton 34; Nortje 4/10, Shamsi 3/20). 

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