Tayyab, Irfan register unbeaten 65-run partnership to push their team\u2019s total past 160-run mark
\n BULAWAYO
\nAbrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem spun Pakistan to a 57-run victory over Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the three-match series at Queens Sports Club on Sunday.
\nOpting to bat first, the Men in Green got off to an unwanted start to their innings as they lost young opener Omair Bin Yousuf as he fell victim to Richard Ngarava in the third over after scoring 16 off 13 deliveries with the help of two boundaries including a six.
\nWalking out to bat at number three, Usman Khan took the reins of Pakistan\u2019s batting expedition with a defiant knock.
\nHe was also involved in two crucial partnerships with Saim Ayub (24) and captain Salman Ali Agha before finally perishing in the 13th over with 91 runs on the board.
\nThe right-handed batter remained the joint top-scorer for Pakistan with a 30-ball 39, studded with two fours and as many sixes.
\nFollowing his dismissal, Sikandar Raza reduced Pakistan to 100\/4 in 14.2 overs by getting rid of Agha, who played a scratchy 13 from 19 balls.
\nFollowing the slump, Tayyab and Muhammad Irfan Khan registered an unbeaten 65-run partnership to push their team\u2019s total past the 160-run mark.
\nTayyab struck five boundaries including a six on his way to an unbeaten 35 off 29 deliveries, while Irfan made 27 not out from 15 balls.
\nEarlier, the Men in Green won the toss and elected to bat first against the host nation.
\nOn Thursday, the Men in Green inflicted a 99 runs defeat on Zimbabwe in the third One Day International to win the series by 2-1.
\nPakistan and Zimbabwe enter the three-match series with contrasting momentums.
\nThe home side are unbeaten in their previous five appearance in the format, part of their perfect run at the recently-held ICC Men\u2019s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier.
\nWhereas, the green shirts are carrying the weight of a 3-0 clean sweep defeat against Australia, their first series after a dismal campaign at the ICC Men\u2019s T20 World Cup 2024, which marked their first-ever group stage exit from the tournament.<\/p>\n
Playing XIs:
\nPakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Saim Ayub, Omair bin Yousuf, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, and Sufiyan Moqim.
\nZimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (c), Brain Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tawandanashe Marumani (wk), Tashinga Musekiwa, Richard Ngarava, Dion Myers, Wellington Masakadza<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tayyab, Irfan register unbeaten 65-run partnership to push their team\u2019s total past 160-run mark BULAWAYO Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem spun Pakistan to a 57-run victory over Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the three-match series at Queens Sports Club on Sunday. Opting to bat first, the Men in Green got off to an unwanted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":446916,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-446900","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n