Pakistan opened their Tri-Nation T20I campaign with a five-wicket win over Zimbabwe, chasing down 148 with four balls to spare at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night. Zimbabwe will next face Sri Lanka at the same venue on Thursday, 20 November.

By PakPassion Staff (November 18th, 2025)

Player of the Match Mohammad Nawaz delivered a superb all-round display (4-0-22-2 and 21* off 12), while a decisive 61-run fifth-wicket partnership between Fakhar Zaman (44 off 32) and Usman Khan (37* off 28) steered Pakistan to their third win in their last four T20Is.

Earlier, Zimbabwe’s openers Brian Bennett (49 off 36) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (30 off 22) gave their side a strong 72-run start in eight overs after Pakistan chose to bowl first. Nawaz broke the stand, triggering a collapse that saw Zimbabwe lose eight wickets for just 75 runs across the final 12 overs.

Captain Sikandar Raza held the innings together with an unbeaten 34 off 24, finishing the innings with a six and a four in the last over.

In reply, Pakistan slipped to 54-4 despite a 27-run opening stand between Saim Ayub (22 off 26) and Sahibzada Farhan (16 off 15). With 94 needed off 63, Fakhar and Usman rebuilt smartly—Usman finding boundaries in the 12th and 13th overs, while Fakhar cleared the ropes in consecutive overs to reduce the target to 42 off the final five overs.

Zimbabwe briefly gained momentum when Richard Ngarava dismissed Fakhar in the 16th over, but Nawaz joined Usman to add an unbeaten 36-run stand that sealed the chase. Nawaz struck a crucial six in the 17th over, leaving 17 required from 12 balls. A dramatic penultimate over from Brad Evans—featuring an overstep, a dropped catch, and a boundary from Usman—yielded 12 runs.

With just five needed off the final over, Tinotenda Maposa was struck for back-to-back fours by Nawaz, sealing Pakistan’s victory.