Pakistan stormed into the tri-series final with a dominant 69-run victory over Zimbabwe, riding on a masterful half-century from Babar Azam and a sensational hat-trick by young spinner Usman Tariq. The commanding performance not only secured Pakistan’s spot in the title clash but also delivered a heavy blow to Zimbabwe’s net run rate, leaving their qualification hopes hanging by a thread and keeping Sri Lanka alive in the race.
Batting first, Pakistan piled up an imposing 195 for 5, thanks to Babar’s composed 74 off 52 balls and Sahibzada Farhan’s explosive 63. In reply, Zimbabwe faltered under scoreboard pressure and collapsed to 126 all out despite a valiant unbeaten 67 from Ryan Burl. Tariq’s decisive spell of 4 for 18, including the hat-trick that dismantled Zimbabwe’s middle order, proved to be the knockout punch in a match dominated by the men in green from start to finish.
Pakistan Set the Tone With Aggressive Start
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat and signalled their attacking intent early. Saim Ayub began with flair, smashing two early sixes in a brisk cameo before holing out. His dismissal brought Babar Azam and Sahibzada Farhan together — a pair who have both been searching for rhythm in recent matches.
Farhan seized control of the powerplay, racing to 32 off his first 20 balls, peppering the boundary with clean striking and aggressive intent. Babar, in contrast, took his time settling in, accumulating just 15 runs off his first 20 deliveries as he assessed conditions and bowlers. Yet the contrasting gears worked perfectly for Pakistan, with their partnership gradually tightening the grip on Zimbabwe’s bowlers.
The duo reached their hundred-run stand in style when Farhan launched a towering six down the ground, signalling Pakistan’s acceleration phase. He eventually departed for a well-made 63 off 41, falling to Sikandar Raza just as he appeared set for an even bigger impact. Babar then assumed full command, dispatching Raza for two clinical boundaries in the 12th over before building towards a calculated final assault.
Late-Innings Fireworks Lift Pakistan to 195
With wickets in hand and five overs remaining, Pakistan reshuffled the batting order to maximise acceleration. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz were promoted but struggled to convert the opportunity. Yet Babar maintained the momentum, plundering runs off Brad Evans and Raza to sustain a strong scoring rate into the closing overs.
The final twist came from an unexpected source — Fakhar Zaman, sent shockingly at No. 7, who produced a stunning late onslaught. In a brutal final over, Fakhar smashed three sixes and a four, taking 25 runs off the over and lifting Pakistan to a tournament-best 195. To add to Zimbabwe’s misery, Evans believed he had dismissed him off the final ball, only for the delivery to be ruled a no-ball — and the subsequent free hit was launched for another six.
Pakistan walked off with a total that felt beyond par and psychologically crushing for Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Crumble Under Pressure
Chasing 196, Zimbabwe required a flying start but instead found themselves sinking early. Tadiwanashe Marumani spooned an easy catch to cover, followed by soft dismissals from Brian Bennett and Brendan Taylor. The chase lost structure and confidence within the opening overs.
Only Burl and Raza offered resistance, stitching together a 34-run stand that briefly steadied the innings. But with the required rate ballooning and Pakistan rotating their attack effectively, frustration crept in. Once Raza departed, the innings unravelled dramatically.
Usman Tariq’s Hat-Trick Seals the Rout
The decisive moment arrived when young off-spinner Usman Tariq turned the match from dominant to emphatic. He removed Tony Munyonga with a swept edge to short fine, cleaned up Tashinga Musekiwa the very next ball, and then delivered the hat-trick when Wellington Masakadza attempted a reckless loft and found long-on perfectly placed.
The hat-trick sent Zimbabwe into freefall, triggering a collapse that ended with Burl stranded on 67 not out — a lone warrior in a hopeless cause.
Final on the Horizon — Pakistan Firm Favourites
With three wins from three matches, Pakistan have booked their ticket to the tri-series final and appear to be peaking at precisely the right time. Babar’s return to fluent scoring, Farhan’s resurgence, Fakhar’s impact role, and Tariq’s emergence as a wicket-taking weapon paint a balanced and dangerous picture.
For Zimbabwe, qualification now depends not only on victory but on repairing a badly damaged net run rate — a steep task.
