Pakistan clinch easy win, Mire's heroic knock goes in vain
Saif Ahmed ChowdhuryCorrespondent
Posted - 2018-07-04T18:35:07+06:00
Updated - 2018-07-04T18:35:07+06:00
Solomon Mire's career-best effort wasn't enough to stop
as Zimbabwe slipped to their third consecutive defeat, this time by seven wickets in Harare Sports Club.
Mire scored a 63-ball 94 that lifted Zimbabwe to a fighting 162 for 4 before Pakistan polished off the chase in the final over to knock the hosts out of the T20I tri-series.
After the demoralising loss against
, Mire had stressed how disappointed he was for not carrying on on a good batting track. Against Pakistan, this time he didn't only a play good innings but also a heroic one.
Zimbabwe had already scored 49 in eight overs to get off to a solid start. Hamilton Masakadza came and went but Mire collaborated with Tarisai Musakanda (33) to take the innings forward with a 64-run stand. Mire did most of the damage, scoring 40 off 27 to race past the 90-run mark. He missed the century when he was dismissed in the 19th over trying to accumulate quick runs.
However, by then he had not only had posted his career-best score but also the highest score by a Zimbabwe batsman in T20Is. Despite his effort, the late flourish Zimbabwe were looking for never came and they had to settle for a par score.
Pakistan got off to solid start in their chase as the openers - Haris Sohail and Fakhar Zaman - scored 56 in the powerplay. Sohail fell in the seventh over - with 58 on the board, but the opening stand had reduced the chase from a tricky one to a routine one.
Mire picked up the wicket of Fakhar but not before the Pakistan opener had managed to dent Zimbabwe with a 38-ball 47. Hussain Talat, who struggled in the first two games, guided the team towards the finish line with a 35-ball 44 before his captain saw off the Zimbabwe challenge with an unbeaten 38.
Pakistan will now take on Australia on Thursday before playing the final on Sunday (July 8).
Brief score:
ZIM 162/4 (20 ov) | Mire 94 63), Musakanda 33 (22) | Talat 1/10
PAK 163/3 (19 ov) } Fakhar 47 (38), Talat 44 (35) | Mire 1/15
Result: Pakistan won by 7 wickets