Zimbabwe secured their first ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League points after an extraordinary game of cricket in the third and final ODI with Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
After both sides tied with 278 after 50 overs, Pakistan was limited to just two runs when Blessing Muzarabani took two wickets in the Super Over, and Zimbabwe was able to nullify the three runs necessary for victory.
Zimbabwe got off to a disappointing start to the game as Mohammad Hasnain eliminated Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha and Craig Ervine to leave the Chevrons reeling on 3/22.
But Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams set out to repair the damage, posting 84 for the fourth wicket before the latter passed away to Hasnain 56.
Wesley Madhevere (33) supported Williams, but when Hasnain eliminated the youngster, Zimbabwe was 181/5, with Pakistan’s marcapak having taken all five wickets, finishing in 5/26 of his ten overs.
But Zimbabwe kept fighting and Williams worked his way up to 118 * with Sikandar Raza’s company, who shot 45 to help his team climb to 278/6 from his 50 overs.
Pakistan’s response got off to a torrid start when Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman were sent back to the pavilion after just eight balls from innings, and when Haider Ali was caught by Richard Ngarava, Pakistan was in all kinds of trouble to the 20/3.
Donald Tiripano went into the attack and launched Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed while Pakistan looked almost dead and buried at 88/5, until a 63-run stoppage between captain Babar Azam and Khushdil Shah (33) gave them a chance to fight. .
A tremendous 100-run partnership between Azam and Wahab Riaz swung the pendulum in favor of the hosts heading into the final four overs, but Blessing Muzarabani had other ideas.
The Zimbabwe quarterback returned 5/49 in his ten overs, eliminating the dangerous Wahab, Shaheen Afridi and finally Babar by 125 to give his team the lead once again.
With 13 required for Ngarava’s final over and only one Pakistan wicket remaining, Muhammad Musa hit two limits, including one on the last ball of innings, to force the first Super Over of the Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League from the ICC.
The impressive Muzarabani stepped forward to eliminate Ahmed with the first ball and Shah almost had the next as the ill-timed shot landed in no man’s land.
But Muzarabani hit his man just two balls later when Shah stepped in, meaning Zimbabwe needed just three to win.
Taylor and Raza went ahead to finish off the runs with three balls to spare, as Zimbabwe tasted its first ODI victory in Pakistan since November 1998.
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