The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday that the Pakistan team will remain unchanged for the second T20I against Zimbabwe, set to be played today at 4:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PST) in Bulawayo.
The playing XI for Pakistan includes: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Saim Ayub, Omair Bin Yousuf, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, and Sufyan Moqim.
Pakistan’s decision to retain the same squad follows their dominant performance in the opening T20I on December 1, 2024, where they secured a comfortable 57-run victory. After winning the toss, Pakistan chose to bat first and posted an impressive total of 165/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Usman Khan and Tayyab Tahir were key contributors, both scoring 39 runs each and building a solid foundation. Irfan Khan Niazi’s explosive 27 off 15 balls provided a late surge to Pakistan’s innings, ensuring they set a challenging total for Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, including Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Wellington Masakadza, and Ryan Burl, each took a wicket but struggled to contain Pakistan’s aggressive batting.
Chasing 166, Zimbabwe faltered against Pakistan’s disciplined bowling attack. Despite fighting knocks from Sikandar Raza (39 runs) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (33 runs), the hosts were bowled out for just 108 runs. Other Zimbabwean batters failed to make significant contributions, exposing their vulnerabilities. Pakistan’s bowlers were in fine form, with Sufyan Muqeem leading the attack, taking 3/20 in his four overs. Abrar Ahmad and Haris Rauf also played vital roles, taking two wickets each, while the rest of the bowlers applied consistent pressure throughout Zimbabwe’s innings.
Looking ahead to the second T20I, Pakistan enters the match with momentum, having displayed a strong performance in both batting and bowling. The team remains balanced, with reliable batsmen and a potent bowling attack making them the favorites. However, Zimbabwe will look to bounce back and address their batting weaknesses, relying on key players like Sikandar Raza and Tadiwanashe Marumani to anchor their innings and challenge Pakistan.
With the stakes high for both teams, Pakistan will aim to seal the series, while Zimbabwe must capitalize on their home advantage to level the contest. Fans can expect another exciting encounter in Bulawayo.
