CHEVRONS T20I captain Sikandar Raza is pleased that the youngsters in the team repaid the faith invested in them by the selectors following their side’s 2-wicket win over Pakistan in their third and final T20I at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Thursday.
The Zimbabwe national cricket team were hammered in the first two matches, but came back stronger in the last game even after the series had been lost.
“We wanted to win the series, but unfortunately, we couldn’t. We stood with our youngsters,” Raza said.
“We had a tough tour, but we backed them and for them to win us the game is certainly heartwarming and I’m really grateful for this win.
“We wanted to get the previous games out of our system because you gonna have to come fresh and clear your thoughts.”
Some of the young players thrust into the fray included Tinotenda Maposa, Brian Bennett and Tashinga Musekiwa.
Bennett shone brightest with the bat, but Maposa’s heroics in the final over clinched the thriller for Zimbabwe.
A blistering 42 from 35 balls from Bennett steered Zimbabwe to a nervy 2-wicket consolation victory.
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Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani bossed the powerplay scoring 56 runs, in pursuit of a victory target of 133 runs.
Marumani was the first to go, becoming Agha Salman’s first victim, but with Bennett in the form he was in, Zimbabwe were still in with a chance.
With a half-century in sight, Sufiyan Muqeem bowled a half-tracker and Bennett’s eyes lit up, but could only find the hands of Tayyab Tahir in the deep, to perish seven short of a well played 50.
At 73-2 after 9.4 overs, Zimbabwe were ahead on the run-rate and at six an over that would have seen the hosts home comfortably.
Zimbabwe’s lack of match awareness reared its ugly head again.
Dion Myers needlessly gave away his wicket after he only found Arafat Minhas off the bowling of Abbas Afridi.
The run rate started to go up as Musekiwa couldn’t find the release shot he wanted against the spinners.
The game looked like it was slipping away from the Chevrons when Raza perished for 19 from 20 balls in the penultimate over.
However, hometown favourite Tinotenda Maposa had other ideas on his T20I debut.
Zimbabwe required 12 runs from the final over and Maposa hit the first ball he faced for a boundary down the legside.
He the produced the shot of the day, when he clubbed for six a Jahandad Khan back of a length delivery over midwicket to send the crowd at Queens into a delirium.
A new star had been born.
Zimbabwe scampered to victory with one ball to spare and their performance on Tuesday was all but forgotten.
The game was set up by another good bowling performance by the Chevrons bowlers led by Blessing Muzarabani 2 for 25 and other bowlers chipping in, with others four bowlers taking one wicket apiece to restrict the visitors to a below par score.
Said Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha: “It’s been a fantastic series. I am impressed by how our youngsters stepped up. Personally, I’d have liked to contribute more with the bat, but I am pleased with my overall performance as captain. We will now focus on the upcoming South Africa tour and aim for continued success.”
Next up for Zimbabwe is a home series against Afghanistan, who arrived in the country yesterday.
They will play three One-Day Internationals, as many T20Is, all in Harare before they move to Bulawayo for historic Boxing Day and New Year’s Day Tests.
