Fakhar Zaman’s belligerent 45 and Usman Khan’s cool-headed unbeaten 37 guided Pakistan to a five-wicket victory over a spirited Zimbabwe in the opening match of the T20 tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night.
Chasing 148, Pakistan were tottering at 30-3 inside the powerplay and later 115-5 when Fakhar fell with 33 still needed off 24 balls.
But Usman, dropped twice, kept his nerve in a match-defining unbroken 36-run stand with Mohammad Nawaz (20 not out off 12), who sealed the win with back-to-back boundaries off Tinotenda Maposa in the penultimate over.
The victory — achieved with four balls to spare — gave Pakistan a perfect start ahead of their clash against Sri Lanka, while Zimbabwe will rue fielding lapses and a costly no-ball at a crucial juncture.
Earlier, Sikandar Raza’s fighting unbeaten 34 from 24 balls lifted Zimbabwe to 147-8 after Pakistan’s spinners had triggered a familiar collapse.
The visitors were cruising at 72 without loss in the eighth over before losing eight wickets for 75 runs in a chaotic 12-over spell.
Openers Brian Bennett (49 off 36) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (30 off 22) had given Zimbabwe a flying start, hammering 59 in the powerplay.
But the introduction of spin changed everything. Nawaz broke the stand when Marumani picked out Shaheen Shah Afridi at deep square leg, and two overs later Brendan Taylor was run out for 14 by a sharp Babar Azam throw.
Bennett fell one short of a fifty, chipping Saim Ayub to the bowler, and Ryan Burl holed out for eight as Zimbabwe slipped to 106-4.
Two run-outs and tidy bowling from Abrar Ahmed (1-28) and Nawaz (2-22) left them reeling at 128-8 before Raza’s late flourish — including a flicked four and a full-toss six off Shaheen — dragged them past 140.
Pakistan’s reply began shakily. Sahibzada Farhan (16) was bowled through the gate by Brad Evans, who then trapped Babar Azam lbw for a three-ball duck in the same over — the former captain falling umpire’s call on review.
Skipper Salman Ali Agha lasted just two balls before Maposa’s inswinging yorker pinned him plumb.
Saim (22 off 26) struggled for timing before lofting Graeme Cremer to deep square leg. At 54-4, the chase threatened to unravel.
Fakhar, pushed down to number five from his usual opening slot, changed the complexion with a 61-run stand alongside Usman.
The left-hander announced himself with a monstrous straight six off Maposa and followed it with a rocket-like drive for four off Cremer.
He looked set for a match-defining knock until, on 45, he tickled a clever Richard Ngarava cutter to wicket-keeper Taylor with 33 still required.
Usman, who survived a tough chance on 27 when Raza couldn’t pouch a low drive, kept the scoreboard ticking.
Nawaz provided the late acceleration, launching Evans for a huge six over long-on before a dropped catch off the same bowler and a no-ball gifted Pakistan crucial breathing space.
In the final over, with five needed, Nawaz deftly guided a wide yorker past the keeper for four and then slashed the winning boundary through point.
