Cricket Classics - Part XXXVi : Zimbabwe vs Pakistan – 2022 T20 World Cup Thriller
Hello, fellow Sports Enthusiasts,
Cricket is not just a sport between two teams; it's a battle of skills, strategy, and capitalizing on clutch moments. Although the game has transformed over the decades, it has never failed to impress or leave us with unforgettable moments.
So, through this series, I will present some of the most iconic cricket matches that have made fans jump out of their seats. Let's remember those legendary games once a week. I am with another iconic match.
Well, we know Zimbabwe has a long history in Cricket, but they couldn't do much on the big stage. They came to the semi-finals in the 2003 Cricket World Cup and had some legendary players like Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Heath Streak, etc. Anyhow, this team had some really good moments, surprising the whole Cricket World.
The 2022 Men's T20 World Cup was hosted in Australia from 16 October to 13 November 2022 with 16 participants. England became the champions, defeating Pakistan in the finals. Eventhough Pakistan became the runners-up, they had to go through a bitter defeat in the Super 12 stage in a thriller.
Pakistan entered the tournament as one of the strong favorites. Babar Assam captained the team with star layers like Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Nawaz, Rauf, and Shaheen Afridi. Craig Ervine captained the Zimbabwe team. They advanced to the Super 12 through qualifiers, and it was tough for them. But their attitude was excellent.
It was the 24th Match of the Super 12 in Group 2, played on October 27, 2022, in Perth. Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat. Anyhow, it wasn't easy for them against Pakistan pacers. Wessly Madhevere and Craig Ervine got a quick start of 42 runs in 5 overs. However, from there, Pakistan made a strong comeback. Only Sean Williams could make a good contribution of 31 runs. But that was not good enough.
They lost wickets regularly and couldn't match the regular attacking batting in the T20 setup. Zimbabwe got 130/8 in their 20 overs. Mohammad Wasim Jr took 4 wickets, while Sadab took three.
It was rarely a competitive total for a team with one of the world’s strongest batting lineups. Anyhow, it didn't go as planned. Babar and Rizwan got a lousy start, getting out early. They were too slow from the start. Even the top scorer, Shan Masood, scored his 44 runs in 38 balls. Even though the target was low, Zimbabwe didn't soften their attack from the start til the end.
So, while regular wickets, the asking rate also rose slowly. Pakistan needed 31 runs in the last 4 overs with 4 wickets in hand. Nwasz and Wasim were in the middle, and they took the match to the last over. Brad Evans needed to defend 11 runs for a famous win.
- 19.1 – 3 runs from Nawaz
- 19.2 – Four by Wasim
- 19.3 – 1 run to Wasim
- 19.4 – Dot ball
- 19.5 - Nawaz gone
Eventhough Pakistan had a wonderful start, things got exciting to the end. Nawz was gone, and Saheen Afridi had to score 3 runs off the last ball. Shaheen hit the ball hard to long on. Sikandar Raza was well aware of the game and threw the ball to the batting end. Even though the keeper had a small problem, he was successful in running out Afridi going for the second run. Zimbabwe won the match by 1 run.
Evans was successful in defending 11 runs, and the energy and character of Raza were highlighted in the game. He took three wickets, and he and the rest of the team were just brilliant in the field. It was one of the greatest thrillers in cricket history.
See you at the next episode!! You can always suggest a match to discuss in the next episode.
src - ESPNcricinfo
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