Zimbabwe pulled off a stunning one-run win over Pakistan on Thursday to put the Asian giants in danger of an early exit from the Twenty20 World Cup.
Zimbabwe managed 130-8 after electing to bat first but their bowlers choked Pakistan to 129-8 for a memorable win in the Super 12 match in Perth.
Zimbabwe, whose opening match in the Super 12 in Hobart was a washout, made one change in Perth. All-rounder Brad Evans came in for Tendai Chatara.
“It’s the best victory that I have been a part of with Zimbabwe,” man-of-the-match Raza told reporters.
“This is the World Cup, the biggest stage, and to beat Pakistan by one run…. the modest total, you have got to do everything to defend it, and we did.”
Pakistan are fifth in the group and next play the Netherlands at the same Perth venue on Sunday.
They must win their remaining three matches and hope other results go their way to stand any chance of moving into the final four.
“To be honest, it’s hard, but it’s two days to go (before the next match) so we will sit together and come back strongly,” said skipper Babar Azam.
In Pakistan’s reply, Azam got off the mark with a boundary after seven dots, but soon got out to Brad Evans to extend his bad run in the tournament. He fell for a duck against India.
Mohammad Rizwan hit a four and a six but followed his partner back to the dugout after chopping an in-coming delivery from pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani onto his stumps.
Pakistan were in trouble at 36-3 when Luke Jongwe sent back Iftikhar Ahmed for five with his medium-pace bowling, before Masood and Shadab pulled things back for a while.
Zimbabwe’s openers Wesley Madhevere and Ervine had used the pace of Pakistan’s seamers to good effect with a string of boundaries in a 42-run stand.
But all-rounder Shadab’s 3-23 with his wrist spin and pace bowler Mohammad Wasim’s 4-24 held Zimbabwe — whose opening match in the Super 12 in Hobart was a washout — to what seemed a below-par total.
Zimbabwe lost four wickets on 95 — Sean Williams, Regis Chakabva, Raza and Jongwe — before Brad Evans took his team past the 120-run mark.
Williams was Zimbabwe’s top scorer with 31 off 28 balls.Pace bowler Richard Ngarava keeps his place in the team after he hurt his ankle in the wet conditions at Hobart.
Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, need a win to keep their semi-finals hopes alive in Group 2 after they went down to arch-rivals India on Sunday.
They also made one change with Asif Ali making way for an extra pace bowler in Mohammad Wasim Jr.
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