In the final T20 International match versus Zimbabwe, September 26, 2022, Pakistan emerged victorious because of Sufiyan Muqeem’s brilliant five-wicket haul. Muqeem handled Zimbabwe’s batting so efficiently that Pakistan was able to win the match and clinch the T20 series. The win in the series not only highlighted the prowess of Muqeem but also echoed the dominance of Pakistan in the shortest format of the game.
This article focuses on the game and its portraying relevance within the franchise.
Match Analysis:
The game took place in Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club at perfectly optimal spin bowling conditions.
After sound middle order contributions, Pakistan batted first and posted a challenging target of 165 runs.
Pakistan won convincingly by 45 runs after bowling Zimbabwe out for a paltry 119 runs, thanks to Muqeem’s spectacular performance that destroyed Zimbabwe’s pursuit.
Innings of Pakistan: Controlled Strength After winning the toss, Pakistan elected to bat. This decision proved correct as openers provided solid start and set a good platform by playing out the power play overs.
Significant Innovations
Batting in the interim, 37 balls for 48 runs, the dependable wicketkeeper-batsman led the innings with a useful knock after the openers were dismissed and strengthened Pakistan’s middle overs.
Iftikhar Ahmed, who scored 38 runs off-21 balls highlighted the second half of the innings, along with three sixes, and appreciated the crowd’s support. As skipper, Shadab Khan scored 25 runs off 15 balls, targeting competitive total for the team. Pakistan managed to score 164 runs for the loss of 6 wickets after 20 overs, a figure which was more than adequate despite the controlled bowling of Zimbabwe.
The Misery of Zimbabwe’s Batting Collapse Zimbabwe returned to chase with confidence, but Sufiyan Muqeem came into the attack, and everything changed. The young left-arm orthodox spinner turned the seasoned performance round the other way with finesse and aggression. Muqeem’s first slash came in his second over, when he bowled the Zimbabwe open with a gentle toss at the edge.
Muqeem has no response from Zimbabwe middle order – Destructive Middle-Order Eagles: consecutive two over of Muqeems, all Zimbabweans were stunned at 70 for the loss of five wickets. To begin the 17th over, Muqeem took his fifth wicket which ended Zimbabwe’s hope to come back. 5/23 figures further corrobated Pakistans dominating performance. Coming Short:
The Resistance of Zimbabwe Zimbabwean players have played against Muqeem although he seems to rule them, others burst brighter moments. Although his sole contribution could not salvage the innings, the brave all-rounder stuck in and top-scored with 32 runs coming off 26 balls.
Ryan Burl: Even though he got some quick 25 runs and gave a glimmer of hope to Zimbabwe’s chase, he could not get any support from the other end.
The host suffered debacle as the team could not build partnerships and were outdone by Muqeem’s spin.
Post-Match Comments
Player of the Match, Sufiyan Muqeem:
In post-match presentation Muqeem was very clear in apportioning credit for his performance to the pitch and his adherence to the basics. It feels nice to contribute to the team’s success. I felt the wicket had some turn so I focused on hitting the right areas.
Pakistan’s captain, Shadab Khan:
Addressing the media after the match, Shadab remarked, commenting on Muqeems show and others, “Sufiyan was great today, and he had the backing of the whole bowling unit. Winning this series will give great confidence to the team.”
Zimbabwean captain:
The Zimbabwean captain articulated the weaknesses in the team’s performance, especially in terms of handling the spin, and stressed on the need to rest and prepare for improvement. Today we let ourselves down in parts, especially in Muqeems spell. Thank you Pakistan for a tough game.
What the series win meant to the players
For Pakistan, this win has great significance since it emphasizes:
Depth in Bowling: The spin department of Pakistan has been strengthened by the arrival of Muqeem as he provides Pakistan with variation and depth with regard to their spin department.
Winning a series away from home is pregnant with more meaning for the team, especially with a bigger picture of upcoming international competitions firmly in focus.
The likes of Muqeem are really good for Pakistan as such young players underscore the bench strength of Pakistan and this helps sustain the team in the future.
Advancement
With important players like Muqeem currently on the fore, this series victory shapes Pakistan’s future games. In contrast to this, Zimbabwe will focus on working on their alliances in next games and also focus on mitigating their batting frailties.
In brief
The most notable event of the T20 series was Sufiyan Muqeem’s five wickets, which guaranteed Pakistan the T20 series in elegance, as Pakistan clinically won over Zimbabwe. Though all the members of the team contributed to the success and proved that they have the potential to shine at the world level, the emergence of the young spin bowler brings yet another chapter in the rich cricket history of Pakistan.
As always, Muqeem has already made big waves in international cricket and he is expected to play a big role in both teams. Fans would expect exciting battles and continued emergence of great players.
If you are interested for more: “Muqeem’s Five-Wicket Haul Secures Pakistan’s Victory Over Zimbabwe to Clinch T20 Series” “Wipro Stock Trades Ex-Bonus Today: IT Major Issues 1:1 Bonus Shares”