Pakistan cruise to opening T20 win over Zimbabwe

BULAWAYO: An unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 65 by Tayyab Tahir and Irfan Khan set up Pakistan for a 57-run victory over Zimbabwe on Sunday in the first of three Twenty20 internationals.

Pakistan, who are chase a white-ball double in Zimbabwe having already won the ODI series 2-1, won the toss in Bulawayo and posted 165-4 while Zimbabwe were all out for 108 in 15.3 overs.

The tourists were 100-4 with 34 deliveries remaining at Queens Sports Club when Tahir and Khan came together to slam a rapid 65 runs as they punished poor bowling and careless fielding. Tahir made 39, including a six and four fours, to be joint top scorer with Usman Khan, who struck four boundaries, two of them sixes.

Irfan Khan finished on 27 from 15 balls with three fours. “Irfan and I were talking to each other and decided to run hard, hit every ball and if we cannot make a six, then run,” player of the match Tahir told reporters.

In reply, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Raza raised Zimbabwean hopes when they put on 59 runs for the third wicket. But soon after Marumani was run out by Usman Khan for 33, Raza was caught at backward point by Saim Ayub and the innings collapsed with the last four wickets falling for only 13 runs.

Brief scores Pakistan 165-4 in 20 overs (Usman Khan 39, Tayyab Tahir 39 not out, Irfan Khan 27 not out, Saim Ayub 24) v Zimbabwe 108 in 15.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 39, Tadiwanashe Marumani 33; Sufiyan Muqeem 3-20, Abrar Ahmed 3-28, Haris Rauf 2-17)