Pakistan vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Highlights: Abrar, Muqeem Guide Pakistan To Big Victory

Back for the chase. The players are out in the middle. Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani to open for Zimbabwe. Abrar Ahmed to bowl first. Let's play..

…THE RUN CHASE…

Zimbabwe were decent with the ball till the 15th over but leaked runs in plenty during the last five which shifted the momentum towards Pakistan. Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Wellington Masakadza, and Richard Ngarava snapped a wicket each with Raza being economical of the lot. Zimbabwe needs 166 to start the series with a win. Can they do it on a slowish track or will the Pakistan bowlers come hard at them and defend this score? We shall find out soon. Join us in a bit for the second essay.

A solid finish from Pakistan helps them get to a competitive score of 165/4 from their 20 overs. Opting to bat first, the top-order players got decent starts but failed to carry on. Usman Khan made a handy 39 batting at three while the skipper Salman Agha struggled through the middle phase. At 100/4 in the 15th over, Tayyab Tahir and Irfan Khan joined hands and added a quick fire 65 runs off just 34 balls to take their side over the 160-run mark.

FOUR! Innovative and Effective! Slower length ball, angling in around off. Tayyab Tahir gets across and hacks it toward the deep backward square leg region for a boundary to end the innings.

Full-length delivery outside off. Irfan Khan drills it to long-off for a single.

Pace-off on a length, around off. Tayyab Tahir flat-bats it off the toe-end toward the long-on region for one.

Slower back of a length delivery around off. Tayyab Tahir forces the pull toward cow corner where Clive Madande makes a misfield and concedes the second run.

FOUR MORE! Tayyab Tahir is upping the ante! Pitched full on off. Tayyab Tahir steps across and hacks it toward the cow corner region for back to back boundaries.

FOUR! BANG! Slower back of a length delivery around off. Tayyab Tahir hangs back and slaps it toward the deep extra cover region for a boundary.

FOUR MORE! Excellent timing and placement! Back of a length delivery again, outside off. Irfan Khan gets into a good position and cuts it through the backward point region. It races to the fence in a flash.

Back of a length delivery outside off. Irfan Khan cuts it toward backward point and an overthrow from Myers results in the second run.

FOUR! Top Shot! Back of a length delivery outside off. Irfan Khan carves it over the backward point fielder for a cracking boundary.

Fuller than a good length, around off. Irfan Khan shimmies down and hacks it off the cue end toward the deep mid-on region. Raza and Burl runs toward the ball but it falls in no man's land. Two runs taken.

Back of a length delivery on off. Tahir dabs into the point region for one.

FOUR BYES! Sloppy from Tadiwanashe Marumani. Slower length ball angling down the leg. Tahir gets across for the scoop but fails to connect. Marumani misses the delivery and it runs away to fine leg for four bonus runs.

Slight Halt. Trevor Gwandu seems to have an issue with his calf and looks in some pain. The physio comes in and Gwandu is going off the field. Blessing Muzarabani will finish the over.

WIDE! Bowls it full but slips down the leg. Tayyab Tahir flicks and misses. Wide signaled.

FOUR! A much-needed boundary to end the over. Pitched full, around off. Irfan Khan shimmies down and drills it through mid-off for a smacking boundary.

Pitched full, at the stumps. Tahir lofts it on the bounce to long-on for a single.