Rizwan, Qadir help patchy Pakistan down Zimbabwe

Mohamed Rizwan hit a fighting 82 while leg-spinner Usman Qadir grabbed three wickets as Pakistan edged out Zimbabwe by 11 runs in the first Twenty20 international in Harare yesterday.
Pakistan managed 149-7 in their 20 overs with their in-form wicketkeeper batsman Rizwan anchoring the innings after they were sent in to bat. Zimbabwe looked threatening at 77-2 in the tenth over but Qadir (3-29) and pacer Mohamed Hasnain (2-27) kept them to 138-7 in the allotted 20 overs.
Zimbabwe needed 20 off the last over but fast bowler Haris Rauf kept tight length to concede just eight to pull off a hard earned win, helping Pakistan to 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The second and third match will also be played in Harare on Friday and Sunday. Luke Jongwe top-scored with a 23-ball 30 not out which included three boundaries and a six while opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe scored 29.
Pakistan started the innings on the wrong foot when their world famous batsman Babar Azam fell in the second over, playing a casual shot into the hands of cover fielder for just two.
Rizwan added two solid stands of 34 each with Fakhar Zaman (13) and debutant Danish Aziz (15) but senior batsman Mohamed Hafeez (five) and Haider Ali (five) failed. Zimbabwe could have had more wickets had they not dropped four catches, the most costly was of Rizwan when on just 13. Rizwan, who cracked ten boundaries and a six off 61 balls, smashed 20 off the final Richard Ngarava over to take Pakistan to a fighting total. Part-tim spinner Wesley Madhevere (2-11) and seamer Jongwe (2-24) were Zimbabwe’s successful bowlers.

Brief scores
Pakistan 149 for 7 in 20 overs (Mohamed Rizwan not out 82; Jongwe 2-24, Madhevere 2-11) beat  Zimbabwe 138 for 7 in 20 overs (T. Kamunhukamwe 29, C. Ervine 34, L. Jongwe not out 30; Hasnain 2-27, Qadir 3-29) by 11 runs
Babar moves to second spot in ICC rankings
Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam moved up by a place to second spot in the ICC men’s rankings for T20I batsman. Azam’s record-breaking 122 off 59 balls against South Africa in the third T20I saw him gain 47 points to displace Australia’s Aaron Finch from the second position.
Azam was the highest run-scorer in the four-match series, having accumulated a total of 210 runs, including a half-century and a maiden hundred. Azam, who is still 48 points adrift of top-ranked Dawid Malan, has the opportunity to overtake him with the three-match series against Zimbabwe that got underway in Harare yesterday.
Earlier last week, Azam became the No 1 ODI batter, ending India captain Virat Kohli’s long reign at the top of the charts. Azam is just the fourth Pakistan batter to attain the top ranking.