Pakistan (61/0) defeat Zimbabwe (57) comprehensively by 10 wickets to clinch the 3-match T20I series by an unassailable 2-0 lead

[The Bald Eagle]

After a convincing victory in the first T20I, Pakistan will enter the second match with the momentum and a chance to wrap up the series. Their bowlers and batters delivered a balanced performance in the opening game, showcasing depth and adaptability on a tricky surface. Skipper Salman Agha will be eager for his team to maintain consistency and finish the series on a high note.

On the other hand, Zimbabwe will be determined to bounce back and level the series. Despite the loss, there were moments where they showed promise, particularly with their bowling in the middle overs. To stay alive in the series, they will need a stronger batting display and tighter execution in the field.

Squads:

Zimbabwe: Joylord Gumbie, Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Dion Myers, Craig Ervine(c), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Brian Bennett, Brandon Mavuta, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Trevor Gwandu, Faraz Akram, Clive Madande, Tashinga Musekiwa, Tinotenda Maposa

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan, Aamer Jamal, Abrar Ahmed

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[The Bald Eagle]

 

[Kianig89]

View attachment 148212

Agha should bat below 7,

4 games SR 58 Avg 4½ , 1 boundary in 31 deliveries

 

[Aami]

no harm in opening with Sal with Omair to follow ...dont think he has a game elsewhere, may 7/8 then?

 

[TeymurBlake]

The batters need to show some more urgency & aggression. Give the young players the license to attack.

Don't make them feel like their world is crashing down after a poor shot or poor knock.

 

[khyberlion]

Seems like another tour for Arafat Minhas without getting a game. I bet he will be dropped for the SA without getting a game.

 

[khyberlion]

no harm in opening with Sal witj Omair to follow ...dont think he has a game elsewhere, may 7/8 then?

No harm in dropping Salman for good in limited overs as he clearly doesn't have the game for it.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Seems like another tour for Arafat Minhas without getting a game. I bet he will be dropped for the SA without getting a game.

You guys are ever happy finally aqib is giving chances to youngsters and you are complaining why arafat is not playing only 11 players can play gosh what next why shadab is not selected arafat will get his chance sufiyan has earned arafat will get after some time.

 

[khyberlion]

You guys are ever happy finally aqib is giving chances to youngsters and you are complaining why arafat is not playing only 11 players can play gosh what next why shadab is not selected arafat will get his chance sufiyan has earned arafat will get after some time.

Arafat Minhas is far better than sufiyan for a start. Secondly you can't have Abbas Afridi at 7. This is international cricket not domestic. Let's see your aqib Javed decides to give him a go. I can see if already he might play him in the last game and then drop him.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Arafat Minhas is far better than sufiyan for a start. Secondly you can't have Abbas Afridi at 7. This is international cricket not domestic. Let's see your aqib Javed decides to give him a go. I can see if already he might play him in the last game and then drop him.

Ya who ever is not selected is better than someone youngster like sufiyan is giving performance and so called pak fans wanted him out have another guy wow it never happen anywhere thank god you guys are not selectors.

 

[khyberlion]

Ya who ever is not selected is better than someone youngster like sufiyan is giving performance and so called pak fans wanted him out have another guy wow it never happen anywhere thank god you guys are not selectors.

If you have seen both you would know who's better overall. Sufiyan is the better bowler and in terms of fielding and batting there is no comparison.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

If you have seen both you would know who's better overall. Sufiyan is the better bowler and in terms of fielding and batting there is no comparison.

Sufiyan is a specialist spinner like kuldeep so pak needs to invest in him he has all the tricks to succeed at this level.

 

[khyberlion]

Sufiyan is a specialist spinner like kuldeep so pak needs to invest in him he has all the tricks to succeed at this level.

I hope so but these sort of bowlers never succeed in long term. He hasn't even played FC yet. Someone like kuldeep was far ahead at similar age.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

I hope so but these sort of bowlers never succeed in long term. He hasn't even played FC yet. Someone like kuldeep was far ahead at similar age.

Ya true but pak just needs to play both abrar and sufiyan in odis from now on should be locked for champions trophy.

 

[Farabi]

Arafat Minhas is far better than sufiyan for a start. Secondly you can't have Abbas Afridi at 7. This is international cricket not domestic. Let's see your aqib Javed decides to give him a go. I can see if already he might play him in the last game and then drop him.

He’s at no8 lol

 

[Farabi]

Sufiyan is a specialist spinner like kuldeep so pak needs to invest in him he has all the tricks to succeed at this level.

lol I don’t understand the obsession with “all-round skills”
Pakistan needs a wicket taking specialist spinner and ideally it’s a wrist spinner like Sufiyan.
Wickets win you matches. 1-2 key wickets of the main opposition batters can turn the game on its head.
Zampa, Rashid, and Kuldeep do it to us all the time.
We do not need another Imad or Nawaz, we need someone like Zampa, Kuldeep, Adil Rashid, and Rashid Khan.

 

[Farabi]

Ya true but pak just needs to play both abrar and sufiyan in odis from now on should be locked for champions trophy.

500%
India played two specialist spinners Chahal and Kuldeep even in SA and England and won ODI series there in late 2010s and the 2 spinners were top wicket takers.
I think even T20s we should look at 2 specialist spinners as a strategy. Both Abrar and Sufiyan is a great strategy

 

[khyberlion]

He’s at no8 lol

Jahandad at 7 is even worse. Now don't tell me he's an all rounder.

 

[khyberlion]

lol I don’t understand the obsession with “all-round skills”
Pakistan needs a wicket taking specialist spinner and ideally it’s a wrist spinner like Sufiyan.
Wickets win you matches. 1-2 key wickets of the main opposition batters can turn the game on its head.
Zampa, Rashid, and Kuldeep do it to us all the time.
We do not need another Imad or Nawaz, we need someone like Zampa, Kuldeep, Adil Rashid, and Rashid Khan.

The thing is those guys are very good. These guys are not that's the problem. We have seen how awful Abrar has been since his debut. I am all up for abrar and sufiyan if they were so good in bowling they clearly aren't. You can't have you tail starting at 7. No team in international cricket has at other than Pakistan in t20s at the moment.

 

[Farabi]

Jahandad at 7 is even worse. Now don't tell me he's an all rounder.

I never said Jahandad is a good no7. I don’t know if he is.
I just said Abbas is no8.

 

[khyberlion]

I never said Jahandad is a good no7. I don’t know if he is.
I just said Abbas is no8.

So having any of them at 7 makes the batting look very thin. This should answer why I why all round player rather than 3 no 11s in Abrar,sufiyan and Harris rauf.

 

[Farabi]

The thing is those guys are very good. These guys are not that's the problem. We have seen how awful Abrar has been since his debut. I am all up for abrar and sufiyan if they were so good in bowling they clearly aren't. You can't have you tail starting at 7. No team in international cricket has at other than Pakistan in t20s at the moment.

Your perspective seems stuck, and you’re struggling to grasp that specialist spinners don’t need to be all-rounders.

Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem aren’t competing for the No. 7 all-rounder role. Their competition is with players like Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf—specialist pacers. If they’re selected, it means Pakistan would opt for two pacers instead of three.

It’s unfair to conclude that Abrar and Sufiyan aren’t good based on just 2-3 games in the format. They’ve done nothing wrong to warrant such criticism. Players are identified and invested in to develop overtime. They don’t drop on parachutes.

 

[Farabi]

So having any of them at 7 makes the batting look very thin. This should answer why I why all round player rather than 3 no 11s in Abrar,sufiyan and Harris rauf.

But why would you have them at no7 lol
Pakistani spinners in the past decade have been allrounders but they don’t always have to be.
You could play Amir Jamal, Shadab Khan, or even Arafat Minhas at that no7 role, then have 2 specialist spinners and 2 pacers.

 

[khyberlion]

But why would you have them at no7 lol
Pakistani spinners in the past decade have been allrounders but they don’t always have to be.
You could play Amir Jamal, Shadab Khan, or even Arafat Minhas at that no7 role, then have 2 specialist spinners and 2 pacers.

Amir Jamal is not a no 7, ideally both shadab and Arafat Minhas should play at 7 and 8. I have been watching cricket since 2004. Just because someone disagrees with you it doesn't mean they started watching cricket since covid. Comeback with something better. I don't have these guys at 7 the pakistan team has and we have had them since the Australia series.

 

[khyberlion]

Your perspective seems stuck, and you’re struggling to grasp that specialist spinners don’t need to be all-rounders.

Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem aren’t competing for the No. 7 all-rounder role. Their competition is with players like Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf—specialist pacers. If they’re selected, it means Pakistan would opt for two pacers instead of three.

It’s unfair to conclude that Abrar and Sufiyan aren’t good based on just 2-3 games in the format. They’ve done nothing wrong to warrant such criticism. Players are identified and invested in to develop overtime. They don’t drop on parachutes.

As bowlers they are marginally better than shadab while batting and fielding is not much a comparison. You can play 5 bowlers if they are good enough but the problem is they are not and with our week batting line up it's a recipe for disaster.

Abrar hasn't had 2 games he's been utterly rubbish outside his debut game and against Zimbabwe. Let's not forget this guy was outbowled in tests by saim against England and Bangladesh recently. His drama will come to an end like his test career. Sufiyan needs to be tested against better teams and the outcome will be similar because he's another darter who doesn't spin the ball much hence my insistence on all round players.

 

[Farabi]

As bowlers they are marginally better than shadab while batting and fielding is not much a comparison. You can play 5 bowlers if they are good enough but the problem is they are not and with our week batting line up it's a recipe for disaster.

Abrar hasn't had 2 games he's been utterly rubbish outside his debut game and against Zimbabwe. Let's not forget this guy was outbowled in tests by saim against England and Bangladesh recently. His drama will come to an end like his test career. Sufiyan needs to be tested against better teams and the outcome will be similar because he's another darter who doesn't spin the ball much hence my insistence on all round players.

It’s too soon to say that.

I think you’re referring to Test matches on flat tracks where even spinners like Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali struggled prior to changes in second test. Those kinds of wickets would have been challenging for someone like Muralitharan too.

Abrar Ahmed could be a better option in white-ball cricket. He’s similar to Adam Zampa, focusing on a wicket-to-wicket line with subtle variations and slight turn, relying on LBWs and bowled dismissals.

As for Sufiyan Muqeem, his googly and chinaman deliveries do turn. Are you watching closely? You don’t need massive turn to be effective; being unreadable is more critical. Shadab Khan, for instance, has become predictable and is now an open book.

Shadab and Arafat Minhas are competing for the No. 7 spot, but Shadab isn’t a wicket-taking spinner. Arafat being a left arm spinner would be more for containment.

If Abrar and Sufiyan don’t turn out to be the answer, Pakistan should keep searching for a specialist spinner who can take wickets in the middle overs and earn his place purely on that ability. This should be the NUMBER 1 priority for Pakistan right now.

 

[khyberlion]

It’s too soon to say that.

I think you’re referring to Test matches on flat tracks where even spinners like Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali struggled prior to changes in second test. Those kinds of wickets would have been challenging for someone like Muralitharan too.

Abrar Ahmed could be a better option in white-ball cricket. He’s similar to Adam Zampa, focusing on a wicket-to-wicket line with subtle variations and slight turn, relying on LBWs and bowled dismissals.

As for Sufiyan Muqeem, his googly and chinaman deliveries do turn. Are you watching closely? You don’t need massive turn to be effective; being unreadable is more critical. Shadab Khan, for instance, has become predictable and is now an open book.

Shadab and Arafat Minhas are competing for the No. 7 spot, but Shadab isn’t a wicket-taking spinner. Arafat being a left arm spinner would be more for containment.

If Abrar and Sufiyan don’t turn out to be the answer, Pakistan should keep searching for a specialist spinner who can take wickets in the middle overs and earn his place purely on that ability. This should be the NUMBER 1 priority for Pakistan right now.

On those same flat pitches everyone on outbowled him. The English spinners too. He's averaging over 40 with the ball after his debut test. Zampa bowls a lot quicker then Abrar and is much more accurate. As I said let these guys play better teams on less supportive pitches, we will get our answer and no Pakistan doesn't need specialist spinners who are marginally better than shadab with the ball but can't bat or field.

 

[Punjab Kings]

no harm in opening with Sal with Omair to follow ...dont think he has a game elsewhere, may 7/8 then?

That is problem with Pakistan team... you did the same with Rizwan...... And result you know he kills power play overs...
Better is to drop Agha Salman from white ball teams

 

[Farabi]

On those same flat pitches everyone on outbowled him. The English spinners too. He's averaging over 40 with the ball after his debut test. Zampa bowls a lot quicker then Abrar and is much more accurate. As I said let these guys play better teams on less supportive pitches, we will get our answer and no Pakistan doesn't need specialist spinners who are marginally better than shadab with the ball but can't bat or field.

Well, they are “marginally better” in your imagination. Some of them have played 2-3 games while others haven’t even been tested properly. Players are developed overtime. Even K Yadav, Zampa, or Adil Rashid Khan were average when they started and improved overtime.
We DO NOT NEED spinners who can bat, we need spinners who can bowl spin REALLY really well and get wickets and break partnerships. We should keep looking till we find one.
We were told the same in tests there are no spinners and then we saw what Sajid and Nauman did.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Why no one is talking about Salman here. He is not a T20 material and here he is made captain and he plays at 4 as well,,,LOL

tayyab should play ahead of him today. No point in Salman playing at number 4 and kill the place of Tayyab. Tayyab is better than him.

Team is fine otherwise for Zimbabwe

 

[mominsaigol]

Why no one is talking about Salman here. He is not a T20 material and here he is made captain and he plays at 4 as well,,,LOL

tayyab should play ahead of him today. No point in Salman playing at number 4 and kill the place of Tayyab. Tayyab is better than him.

Team is fine otherwise for Zimbabwe

Tayyab pasand aa gya hai?

My picks are always correct.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Tayyab pasand aa gya hai?

My picks are always correct.

If the replacement is salman then yes tayyab is better and TBH he is better than many.

 

[alishahid]

salman wont be playing the next match considering pal wins today. Pretty sure aaqib has realized it by now. Saim will captain the 3rd t20

 

[BouncerGuy]

Not sure why Salman was made VC first hand. He does not even deserve a spot in the t20 team.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Not sure why Salman was made VC first hand. He does not even deserve a spot in the t20 team.

It's clear this was done just to avoid criticism of going with the same old players and breakup the perception of groupings. I'm not sure why a VC in T20's is required anyways.

I really hope he is not named in the SA squad and who knows, maybe that's the delay and why we haven't seen one announced yet.

 

[BouncerGuy]

It's clear this was done just to avoid criticism of going with the same old players and breakup the perception of groupings. I'm not sure why a VC in T20's is required anyways.

I really hope he is not named in the SA squad and who knows, maybe that's the delay and why we haven't seen one announced yet.

Yeah I really hope the same but I think PCB is gonna take him to SA too.

have seen Salman's batting in t20s. He is pathetic. Cannot rotate strike. Cannot put pressure on bowlers back and gets out on mediocre deliveries

 

[followed]

Kick that hack Usman Khan out. He is good for nothing.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Agha should bat below 7,

4 games SR 58 Avg 4½ , 1 boundary in 31 deliveries

He's your captain marvellous.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

salman wont be playing the next match considering pal wins today. Pretty sure aaqib has realized it by now. Saim will captain the 3rd t20

Has Aaqib himself told you this?

 

[Kianig89]

No chance for error Pakistan should win this,

 

[alishahid]

Has Aaqib himself told you this?

Yes

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Yes

 

[RidiculousMan]

View attachment 148212

Why are they still playing Haris? Surely a young pacer or Jamal could be tried against Zimbabwe in a meaningless bilateral

 

[Noor79]

I am a Pakistani cricket fan, why do you Pakistanis always complain... Babar Azam, Shaheen, Agha, Rizwan, No. 8, 9..... Respect your stars... Give chance & time

 

[BouncerGuy]

I am a Pakistani cricket fan, why do you Pakistanis always complain... Babar Azam, Shaheen, Agha, Rizwan, No. 8, 9..... Respect your stars... Give chance & time

We don't want undeserving guys to play ahead of others who deserve a place.

Salman deserves to be in the T20 side let alone captaincy???

 

[The Bald Eagle]

I think they might try him in a dead rubber but could have been tried in this match too

Why are they still playing Haris? Surely a young pacer or Jamal could be tried against Zimbabwe in a meaningless bilateral

 

[gazza619]

Why is beating Zimbabwe so important.

Disappointed that we are playing the same XI

 

[BouncerGuy]

Toss update:

Zimbabwe have won the toss and have opted to bat

 

[Kianig89]

So bowling first we are

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Zimbabwe 21/0 of 2.2 overs Rapid Start!

 

[Omer2002]

nearly 30 in 3 overs very good and i think ball will spin a lot so safe to say its one all in series now

 

[Kianig89]

Wicket seems tricky

 

[BouncerGuy]

going at 9 an over... Brilliant start for the Zimababwean batters

 

[imshally81]

Finally a wicket

 

[BouncerGuy]

Abbas strikes... Good catch by Tayyab.

Zim 1 down for 37 now..

 

[BouncerGuy]

Wicket maiden from Abbas... Not many times we see such an over. Good stuff

 

[BouncerGuy]

Bennet gone as well now... Haris Rauf got him

2 down for 37

 

[ads101]

Abbas Afridi should be part of the main line up I feel now. I think Naseem should sit out for him in T20s. Might even be worth trying in ODIs. He's really underrated I feel.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Beauty from Abbas

 

[imshally81]

Abbas is good talent ..

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Abbas Afridi should be part of the main line up I feel now. I think Naseem should sit out for him in T20s. Might even be worth trying in ODIs. He's really underrated I feel.

Great Player, I also would think he should be in ODIs sooner rather than later, if he can develop his batting into an all-rounder, he will be quite valuable

 

[m.shah]

Raza gone too

 

[m.shah]

Such a low level team is Zimbabwe

 

[Kianig89]

Collapse it is a batting collapse

 

[Kianig89]

Pakistan can win another series today ..... quite an achievement it will be amid the harakiri

 

[The Bald Eagle]

It's just a one sided encounter so far, Zimbabwe 46/5 in 8.4 overs.

 

[Kianig89]

Time Since Last Boundary 28 deliveries

 

[Dantheone]

Even 100 looks difficult from here. Dominant performance from Pakistan.

 

[Kianig89]

Muqeem into the act, dreadful pitch for a T20

 

[Omer2002]

Muqeem and Faisal need to be invested. I would put them even in tests but they need to learn to bat too. Its criminal for a spinner to hold a bat

 

[Kianig89]

This is not how T20s should be marketed, unlucky Pakistan these games should have been on phattas to statpad

 

[Hyder]

Abrar hasnt shown much improvement in past year

 

[Kianig89]

Hopefully Agha Salman will bat today to pile up the sample size

 

[Hyder]

Muqeem and Faisal need to be invested. I would put them even in tests but they need to learn to bat too. Its criminal for a spinner to hold a bat

Give them domestic seasons before. As of now sajid and nauman are doing fine for home tests. Maybe add 1 of arafat sufyan or faisal as 3rd spinner

 

[Kianig89]

Stunning Collapse

 

[Kianig89]

Stop hyping Muqeem and Faisal please

 

[Kianig89]

Gwandu to rescue Zimbabwe

 

[Kianig89]

50/6 10 overs

 

[m.shah]

37/0 and 50/6
What a collapse

 

[Kianig89]

70 is par score on this wicket