Pakistan vs. Zimbabwe, 1st Twenty20 International: Highlights, Scorecard, Report

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the first Twenty20 international in Lahore.

After winning the toss and electing to bat at the Gaddafi Stadium, Zimbabwe made 172 for six in their 20 overs.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Masakadza		b Sami	43	30	27	7	1
Sibanda	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Sami	13	25	15	1	0
Coventry	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Riaz	14	4	7	3	0
Chigumbura		b Riaz	54	51	35	8	1
Williams	c Riaz	b Shoaib Malik	16	15	15	1	0
Raza	c Shehzad	b Sami	17	18	13	1	1
Mutumbami	not out		4	14	7	0	0
Cremer	not out		2	2	2	0	0
Extras		1nb 5w 0b 3lb	9
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Anwar Ali			3	0	18	0
Sami			4	0	36	3
Bhatti			3	0	37	0
Riaz			4	0	38	2
Shahid Afridi			3	0	28	0
Shoaib Malik			3	0	12	1

The hosts reached their target with three balls to spare as Mukhtar Ahmed made 83.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Ahmed	c Mutumbami	b Cremer	83	61	45	12	3
Shehzad	c Mutumbami	b Williams	55	57	39	6	1
Hafeez	c Coventry	b Cremer	12	11	11	1	1
Shoaib Malik		b Panyangara	7	20	14	0	0
U Akmal	c Sibanda	b Vitori	4	4	3	1	0
Sarfraz Ahmed	not out		3	11	4	0	0
Shahid Afridi	not out		4		1	1	0
Extras		0nb 0w 0b 5lb	5
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Panyangara			2.3	0	28	1
Vitori			4	0	24	1
Mpofu			3	0	32	0
Williams			4	0	33	1
Cremer			4	0	28	2
Raza			2	0	23	0

It was the first international match in Pakistan since 2009, when the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked in Lahore, an incident that saw several players injured and one driver killed.

Elton Chigumbura led the tourists to a competitive total with a half-century.

Hamilton Masakadza gave Zimbabwe an excellent start with 43 from 27 balls but the visitors lost three wickets in 10 balls as 58 for zero became 73 for three.

However, Chigumbura hit eight boundaries and a six in making 54 from 35 balls as the Zimmies scored at 8.6 runs per over.

Mukhtar Ahmed, the 22-year-old right-handed opener in just his second international, hit 12 boundaries and three sixes in his innings

He shared a 142-run opening wicket stand with Ahmed Shehzad, which equalled the Pakistan record.

Shehzad perished for 55 in the 14th over when he cut slow left-armer Sean Williams straight to point before Graeme Cremer removed Mukhtar and Mohammad Hafeez (12) in consecutive overs.

When Umar Akmal (4) got a leading edge to cover, the home dressing room started to have a few nervous moments, and they intensified when Shoaib Malik was clean bowled in the final over, having stuttered to seven from 14 balls.

Four was needed from the final four deliveries, and Shahid Afridi smashed his first ball over bowler Tinashe Panyangara’s head to finish the match in style.

The teams play another Twenty20 international on Sunday before three one-day internationals in Lahore.