The Zimbabwe national cricket team's batting woes persisted as they bundled out for for their lowest T20I score, 57, before suffering a humiliating 10-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the second T20I match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.
The defeat condemned the Chevrons to a series defeat reducing the third and final match set for tomorrow to academic interest.
Following their struggles with the bat in the T20I opener on Sunday where they slid from a healthy 87/3 at the half way mark in chase of 165 to be bowled out for 108 runs in the 16th over, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza opted to bat after winning the toss.
The dismissal of opener Tadiwanashe Marumani for 16 runs in the fifth over once again opened inroads for Pakistan. His fellow opener Brian Bennett departed the next over for 21 runs in 14 balls signalling the beginning of the end for Zimbabwe who were on 37/2 after 5.1 overs.
Zimbabwe just like in the first T20I kept losing wickets cheaply and 37/2 soon became 46/6 after 8.5 overs following the departure of Raza (3), Dion Myers (3), Ryan Burl (1) and Tashinga Musekiwa (golden duck). After 12.4 overs the innings had been wrapped up.
It took Pakistan only 5.3 overs to surpass Zimbabwe's target reaching 61 runs for no loss with openers Omir Yousuf and Saim Ayub unbeaten on 22 off 15 and 36 runs from 18 balls respectively. However, the day belonged to bowler Sufiyan Muqeem for his fiver for three runs in 2.4 overs while Abbas Afridi picked two for two in two.
Zimbabwe skipper Raza expressed his disappointment after the defeat.
"We all are hurting and are in a pretty bad place. We have 36 hours to bounce back. We can stay in the moment and that will give us no chance (to come back). We still have the desire to come back and beat Pakistan before they go back home. You have to upskill yourself (against the spinners),” he said.
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"It is tough in a way. I keep asking my squad to have two gears - there has to be a time where you have to grind and soak up the pressure. One thing I can ask is for patience, we have a very young squad. First time they are playing against such an opposition. My biggest concern is if we are learning our lessons when we lose because we seem to be making the same mistakes."
Pakistan captain Salman Agha was beaming with excitement.
"That is how we want to play. We do not want to play according to the toss. We are a good enough team to win batting first or bowling first. We are a quality side and the way the youngsters are doing, it is very heartening to see. (On their fast bowlers) We have plans and we are executing really well," he said.
"We want to hit the deck hard and the way they are doing so, it is going very well. The way they (Abrar and Sufiyan) bowled, it is outstanding. I am very happy and the team is very happy. We did not win the T20I series in Australia and we want to continue.”
