Zimbabwe lost seven wickets for 37 runs to slip to 147 for 8, when a total greater than 180 had been on the cards. Still, they pushed Pakistan’s chase into the final over, their seamers striking three times in the powerplay to slow Pakistan’s advance, before also squeezing the hosts in the middle overs.

Pakistan’s Nos. 5, 6, and 7, however, dug them out of the hole. Playing his comeback T20I innings Fakhar Zaman hit 44 off 32, putting on a 61-run partnership with Usman Khan. Usman was then joined by Mohammad Nawaz, who had earlier been the best of Pakistan’s bowlers. The required rate had become something of a challenge at this stage, but Nawaz’s 20 off 12 balls ensured victory was ultimately comfortable.

Had Brian Bennett held a straight-forward chance off Nawaz on the midwicket boundary, with 15 needed off 10, Zimbabwe could have mounted a sterner challenge at the business end. In the end, Nawaz struck the winning boundary with four balls to spare.

Zimbabwe veteran Graeme Cremer, playing his first T20I in over seven years and after 122 matches –  the latter, a record – conceded 27 runs in three overs for one wicket.

After seven overs, Zimbabwe were running the show. The openers had hit 11 fours and a six between them. The run rate was in touching distance of 10. And the first two overs of spin had conceded 26 runs. But Nawaz, bowling quicker and more accurately than the legspinners, made the breakthrough that soon brought a flood of wickets when he had Tadiwanashe Marumani caught at deep square leg, though that first wicket came off a full toss. Later, he would also have Ryan Burl holing out.

It was Nawaz’ economy, though, that set him apart. He conceded only 22 from his four overs, and had by far the lowest economy rate (5.50) of any bowler to bowl four overs in the game. With the bat, he was fortunate to be reprieved on nine, but struck a six and two fours to ensure Pakistan didn’t flounder at the finish.

The period in which Zimbabwe crashed hardest was through the middle of their innings, when they slipped from 91 for 1 in the 11th over, to 128 for 8 in the 19th. Pakistan’s spinners bossed this period, with Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed also picking up key wickets. Although there was not much turn off the surface, the legspinners frequently beat batters in the flight, and created pressure through dot balls. It is this pressure that also caused two Zimbabwe run-outs.

In the eight-over stretch between the 11th and 19th overs, Pakistan conceded only 30. It took an unbeaten 34 from Sikandar Raza 34 off 24 balls to avert complete disaster.

They would struggle through the next four overs too, and when Ayub was dismissed by Cremer’s legspin in the 10th over, the required-rate was up to nine, and Zimbabwe looked like defending their total. But a sensible stand between Zaman and Usman gave the Pakistan chase some substance and Nawaz finished the job.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 151 for 5 in 19.2 overs  (Sahibzada Farhan 16, Saim Ayub 22, Fakhar Zaman 44, Usman Khan 37*, Mohammad Nawaz 21*; Richard Ngarava 1-31, Tinotenda Maposa 1-29, Brad Evans 2-26, Graeme Cremer 1-27) beat Zimbabwe 147 for 8 in 20 overs  (Brian Bennett 49, Tadiwanashe Marumani 30, Brendan Taylor 14, Sikandar Raza 34*;  Shaheen Shah Afridi 1-34, Salman Mirza 1-21, Saim Ayub 1-31, Abrar Ahmed 1-28, Mohammad Nawaz 2-22) by five wickets

[Cricinfo]