• Source:JND
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PAK vs ZIM, 1st T20I: Pakistan has taken a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe after winning the series opener by 57 runs on Sunday in Bulawayo. While batting first, the Men in Green posted a respectable target of 165/4.All the batters were seen struggling to perform and chipped in with small contributions, which helped them post a respectable target.

Tayyab Tahir was adjudged the Player of the Match award for his unbeaten knock of 39 runs off 25 balls, in which he had smashed four fours and a six.

Usman Khan too scored a match-winning knock of 39 runs, in which he hit two fours and as many sixes. Saim Ayub, who entered this series on the back of a scintillating century off just 53 balls during the second ODI, scored a quick-fire knock of 24 runs off 18 balls. Irfan Khan scored a late knock of 27 runs off 15 balls. Zimbabwe bowlers like Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Wellington Masakadza, and Ryan Burl took one wicket each.

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Zimbabwe too suffered a batting collapse as openers Brian Benett and Dion Myers were dismissed cheaply by Abrar Ahmed, who gave the visitors the much-needed breakthroughs. But Tadiwanashe Marumani and Raza helped the hosts bounce back. Marumani took the Pakistan bowlers to the cleaners by scoring a gritty knock of 33 runs at a strike rate of 165.

At the same time, Sikandar Raza struggled with hamstring issues but despite that scored 39 runs off 28 balls. Marumani was dismissed due to a runout and after his dismissal, the hosts lost their plot as they were skittled out for 108 runs in 15.3 overs. Zimbabwe lost eight wickets and scored 31 runs in 7.2 overs.

Abrar also took the wicket of Trevor Gwandu and registered figures of 3.3-0-28-3 and he thus dismantled Zimbabwe's batting lineup. Haris Rauf also took two wickets and thus became Pakistan's highest wicket-taker in the shortest format.