Zimbabwe stun defending champs Pakistan

After stunning Australia in their first warm-up match by registering a sensational one-run victory, ‘minnows’ Zimbabwe trounced defending champions Pakistan by 12 runs in their second practice match ahead of the T20 World Championship. Zimbabwe were struggling for 64 for 5 in the 12th over, but Elton Chigumbura’s exciting knock of 49 not out from just 35 balls saw the Africans post a respectable total of 143 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs.

In reply, Pakistan started on a positive note, wicket keeper Kamran Akmal hitting a blistering 37 from 27 balls, but wickets kept falling at the opposite end, reducing the defending T20 World champions to 67 for 5 after 10 overs. Pakistan’s hopes were revived through some sensible batting by middle order batsmen Fawad Alam [ Images ] and Misbah-ul-Haq, who added 51 in 7.4 over for the sixth wicket, but pacer Prosper Utseya dismissed both the set batsmen in space of three deliveries.

Utseya returned with a match winning figures of 4 for 15 in his quota of four overs. Chigumbura did well with the ball too, taking 3 for 16 in three overs as his team registered their second consecutive win in the warm-up matches. Rediff Sports.com

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