ZIMBABWE all-rounder Luke Jongwe starred with the ball to lead his team to an improbable 19 run victory over Pakistan in the second T20I played at Harare Sports Club today.
In only his second match after a five-year hiatus from international cricket, Jongwe’s 4 for 18 runs helped Zimbabwe end their 15 match losing streak in T20I against Pakistan on their 16th attempt.
After being sent in to bat Zimbabwe could only muster 118 for 9 in their 20 overs and no one gave them a chance at the halfway stage.
The never say die attitude of Zimbabweans prevailed as Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava were disciplined in their line and length on a two-paced Harare Sports Club wicket and never allowed Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to get off to a flyer.
In the fifth over, stand-in captain Brendan Taylor gave the ball to the man with the golden arm, Jongwe and he struck with his first ball when Rizwan played early to a slow ball and could only spoon a catch to Tarisai Musakanda at extra cover.
The dangerous Fakhar Zaman was finding the sluggish pitch not to his liking, having scored 2 runs from 6 balls he attempted a slog-sweep off Ryan Burl, trying to clear long-on but could only find Musakanda.
Zimbabwe knew that if they exposed Pakistan’s soft belly they were in with a chance.
Mohamed Hafeez struggles with the bat continued as he became Burl’s second wicket and Zimbabwe had a third.
Captain Babar Azam continued to play the way the wicket demanded as wickets tumbled around him and shared a 22 run 4th wicket partnership with Danish Aziz which was the highest partnership of Pakistan’s run chase.
Just as Pakistan were threatening to get away from Zimbabwe with a well set Babar, Taylor brought back Jongwe into the attack and he got the prized wicket of the visitors’ captain for 41 from 45 balls.
Pakistan were now 4 down and requiring 41 runs from 25 balls. It was game on.
The home side fielded like their life depended on it, they looked like a different outfit than that dropped catches in the first T20I.
Asif Ali who has been given countless chances but has failed to repay the faith of selectors despite his obvious talent was the fifth wicket to fall and Pakistan were now 79 for 5. Zimbabwe was now sensing that this could be the day they shake off Pakistan stranglehold in T20I.
The visitors had five wickets in hand, required 32 runs to win from the last two overs and the dangerous Faheem Ashraf was on strike in the 19th over.
Muzarabani bowled a short delivery and Ashraf tried to hit him over fine leg but could only find Burl.
Zimbabwe’s ground fielding was spot on today as they effected a run out of Aziz on 22 as he attempted to get back the strike and Pakistan were reeling at 92 for 7 with 8 balls to go.
Fast bowler Harris Rauf flayed Muzarabani for a huge six to leave Pakistan requiring 20 runs for victory in the final over.
Taylor had a mini-conference with his bowlers and gave the ball to Jongwe to bowl the final over instead of Ngarava.
The first ball of the last over Usman Qadir was run out as Rauf wanted to be on strike and try to win the match for the subcontinent side.
The next two deliveries were dot balls and barring any extras at that stage Zimbabwe had won the match.
Jongwe finished the innings with two more wickets in his over and Pakistan had been bowled out for 99, the second lowest total while being all out against Zimbabwe. Canada’s 75 remains the lowest.
The fall of the last wicket brought joy and jubilation as the Zimbabwe players went into huddle probably reminding each other that there was a series still up for grabs.
Chevron’s bowlers had gotten Zimbabwe out of jail and the batters will have to step up in the decider on Sunday if they entertain any hopes of a come from behind series win.
The top order will have to improve first on their boundary hitting and playing out too many dots.
In the first 10 overs in Zimbabwe’s batting innings, they conceded 32 dot balls, 19 singles, 4 fours and no sixes.
Taylor was happy with how his bowlers had executed their skills and urged the batters to fire in the decider in two days.
“Big turnaround from the first game. They were very professional in the field and the bowlers had clear minds and executed their plans perfectly. I can’t say I was confident about winning but the character shown was great.
“We dug deep, we managed to squeeze Pakistan and our commitment got us over the line. As a batting unit, we need to fire a little more in the Powerplay. We feel they’re a stronger bowling unit than a batting unit, and if we get 140-150, we can challenge them” Taylor said.
Babar was disappointed that they failed to chase a modest total highlighting their middle-order struggle.
“Credit to Zimbabwe who came back so strongly today. We continue to struggle in the middle order, but we need guys to step up. The wicket was similar to the other day, but it was double-paced. That’s not an excuse, we’re a professional side, and we should have chased this down.” said Babar
