🏏 Pakistan Hammer Zimbabwe by 69 Runs in Rawalpindi – Complete Cricketory Deep Dive 📝🔥
The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium witnessed a commanding, ruthless, and thrilling performance from Pakistan as they demolished Zimbabwe by 69 runs in the Pakistan T20I Tri-Series. It was a night where Babar Azam’s class, Sahibzada Farhan’s explosive intent, and Usman Tariq’s career-defining spell converged to produce Pakistan’s most complete performance of the tournament.
This win not only secured Pakistan’s top position on the tri-series points table but also sent a strong message ahead of the final — Pakistan have arrived, polished, prepared, and dangerous.
In this Cricketory Exclusive analysis, we break down the match session-by-session, highlight tactical calls, player performances, momentum shifts, and the deep technical layers behind Pakistan’s dominant triumph.
Let’s begin. 👇
🟢🇵🇰 Pakistan’s Batting: Aggression, Anchor, and Acceleration 🎯
Pakistan posted a powerful 195/5, courtesy of:
- Babar Azam – 74 (52)
- Sahibzada Farhan – 63 (41)
- Fakhar Zaman – 27 (10)*
It was a batting performance that checked off every box:
✔ Solid start
✔ Controlled acceleration
✔ Explosive finish
✔ Smart strike-rotation
✔ Minimizing dot-ball pressure
Let’s break it down.
🔥 Sahibzada Farhan: The Aggressive Spark Pakistan Needed 💥
63 off 41 | 4 fours | 3 sixes | SR 153.65
Sahibzada Farhan played the ideal modern T20 opener’s role. Instead of taking time early, he attacked Zimbabwe’s pacers immediately, especially targeting:
- Richard Ngarava’s short lengths
- Brad Evans’ loose deliveries
Farhan’s shot selection was fearless yet calculated. What made his innings special?
✔ PowerPlay Domination
Farhan struck 13 runs off 8 balls in the PowerPlay, giving Pakistan early momentum.
✔ Seam Reading
He picked length quickly, especially punishing the:
- Pick-up pull
- Inside-out loft
- Slap through covers
Farhan has cemented himself as a reliable T20 opener capable of shifting gears at will.
🧠 Babar Azam: The Artist Paints Another Masterpiece 🎨
74 off 52 | 7 fours | 2 sixes
This innings was classic Babar:
- Calm
- Controlled
- Perfect reading of the field
- Intelligent exploitation of gaps
🔍 Babar’s Innings Progression
- First 20 balls: Strike rotation phase
- Balls 21–40: Boundary unlocking
- Final 12 balls: Controlled aggression
Instead of going for rash shots, Babar built the innings around anchor-like consistency, allowing the attackers around him to explode.
✨ Babar’s Key Strokes
- His cover drive was once again his signature
- The lofted on-drive vs spinners was perfection
- His slow-sweep vs Raza helped break the spin shackles
Babar’s dismissal at 17.4 overs slowed Pakistan slightly, but his foundation ensured a 190+ score was guaranteed.
💣 Fakhar Zaman’s Final Over Blitz – Game Changer 🌪️
27 off 10 | SR 270.00*
When Fakhar walked in at the 18th over, Pakistan were hovering near 170.
When he walked out, Pakistan had 195.
💥 3 Sixes + 1 Four = Pure Carnage
Fakhar’s standout shots:
- A 90m monster six over mid-wicket
- Back-foot loft over extra cover
- Helicopter-like flick off Evans
His cameo not only boosted the total but also demoralized Zimbabwe heading into the chase.
🟥🏏 Zimbabwe’s Bowling: Expensive, Inconsistent, and Lacking Plans
Zimbabwe used six bowlers, but most struggled.
❌ Brad Evans – 4 overs, 59 runs
Evans bowled poor lengths throughout, feeding Pakistan’s hitting zones.
❌ Sikandar Raza – 2 wickets but 9.75 economy
Raza removed Farhan and Babar, but even he could not control the flow of runs.
❌ Ngarava – 8.5 economy
Usually their most reliable bowler, but Pakistan handled him with ease.
Zimbabwe’s biggest problem?
❗ No death bowling plans
Pakistan scored 55 runs in the last 4 overs, which sealed the match.
🇿🇼⚠️ Zimbabwe’s Batting Collapse – Lost Before It Began
Zimbabwe were chasing 196, but collapsed to 14/2, then 25/3, then 60/7.
It was a batting performance full of:
- Poor shot selection
- Pressure mismanagement
- Misreading Pakistani bowlers
- Over-aggression
Only Ryan Burl showed resistance.
🙌 Ryan Burl: Lone Warrior in a Lost Battle 🥺
67 off 49 | 8 fours | 2 sixes*
Burl counter-attacked brilliantly:
- Sweeping spinners
- Lofting inside-out shots
- Cutting anything short
- Rotating strike under pressure
He played one of his best knocks in recent years.
But when a batter at No. 5 scores 67 out of 126*, you know the top order collapsed badly.
🔥🇵🇰 Pakistan’s Bowling Brilliance – And the Rise of Usman Tariq
Pakistan’s bowlers were exceptional:
⭐ Usman Tariq – 4/18 (4 overs)
⭐ Mohammad Nawaz – 2/21
✨ Mohammad Wasim – 1/25
✨ Naseem Shah – 1/31
✨ Faheem Ashraf – 1/30
Let’s dive deeper.
🌟 Usman Tariq: The Breakout Star of the Match 🌟🔥
4 wickets | 4.50 economy | 1 maiden
Usman Tariq produced a spell that changed the match completely.
🎯 Wickets Taken
- Munyonga
- Musekiwa
- Masakadza
- Maposa
He forced a triple collapse at 60/5, 60/6, 60/7, destroying Zimbabwe’s middle order.
What stood out?
✔ Control
Hardly bowled loose deliveries.
✔ Variation
Off-cutters, slower balls, wide angles.
✔ Rhythm
Found consistency with his release point.
He bowled like a seasoned T20 pro and announced himself on the big stage.
💚 Mohammad Nawaz: Mr. Dependable
2/21 | Economy 5.25
Nawaz controlled the middle overs brilliantly, removing:
- Sikandar Raza
- Brad Evans
His wicket of Raza was match-shifting.
⚡ Wasim, Naseem, Faheem – Pakistan’s Trio of Pressure
Each pacer played their role:
🌪 Naseem Shah
- Early swing
- Breakthrough wicket
🎯 Mohammad Wasim Jr
- Hit the deck hard
- Removed Bennett early
💥 Faheem Ashraf
- Smart short ball
- Dismissed Brendan Taylor
Pakistan’s bowling looked well-structured, disciplined, and ruthless.
📊 Match Turning Points 🔁🔥
These five moments defined the match:
1️⃣ Farhan–Babar partnership (103 runs)
Built the perfect platform.
2️⃣ Fakhar’s explosive finishing
Turned a good score into a match-winning total.
3️⃣ Zimbabwe 14/2 in 2 overs
Early collapse killed chase momentum.
4️⃣ Usman Tariq’s double-strike over
Two wickets in two balls broke Zimbabwe completely.
5️⃣ Nawaz removing Raza
Zimbabwe’s only serious hope ended there.
📈 Tri-Series Points Table – Pakistan on Top 🥇
Pakistan now lead with:
- 3 matches
- 3 wins
- NRR: +2.016
Pakistan are firm favourites for the final.
🧠 Cricketory Tactical Analysis & Insights 🧩📊
Here is the deep breakdown you won’t find anywhere else.
🧩 Pakistan’s Strategic Adjustments
Pakistan refined three key things:
✔ PowerPlay risk
Played with more intent (strike rate 140+).
✔ Middle overs stability
Babar anchored perfectly.
✔ Death overs clarity
Fakhar’s entry timing was ideal.
This was Pakistan’s most balanced batting display of the series.
🧩 Bowling Strategy
Pakistan used:
- Short balls early to expose Zimbabwe
- Tight lines during middle overs
- Slower-ball variations at death
Every bowler followed the match plan.
🧩 Zimbabwe’s Mistakes
Zimbabwe failed in:
- Reading pitch behavior
- Shot selection
- Death over plans
- Handling pressure
- Supporting their in-form batter, Burl
They must address these ahead of the next clash.
⭐ Player Ratings (Cricketory Exclusive) ⭐
🇵🇰 Pakistan
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Babar Azam | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 |
| Sahibzada Farhan | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 9.5/10 |
| Fakhar Zaman | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 9/10 |
| Usman Tariq | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 |
| Nawaz | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8.5/10 |
| Wasim Jr | ⭐⭐⭐ 7.5/10 |
| Naseem Shah | ⭐⭐⭐ 7.5/10 |
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Ryan Burl | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 |
| Sikandar Raza | ⭐⭐⭐ 7/10 |
| Brendan Taylor | ⭐⭐ 5/10 |
| Bowlers | ⭐⭐ 4/10 |
📢 Final Verdict: A Statement Win for Pakistan 💚🔥
This wasn’t just a win —
It was a statement.
Pakistan were:
- More aggressive
- More disciplined
- Smarter
- More consistent
- More ruthless
From batting to bowling to fielding, Pakistan played champion-level cricket.
❓ 10. FAQs (Cricketory Edition)
Q1. Who was the Player of the Match?
➡ Usman Tariq (4/18) – standout performance.
Q2. Why did Zimbabwe lose so badly?
➡ Early collapse and poor death bowling cost them.
Q3. How many runs did Pakistan score in the final 4 overs?
➡ 55 runs.
Q4. Who is leading the tri-series table?
➡ Pakistan with 3 wins in 3 matches.
Q5. What was the key turning point of the match?
➡ Usman Tariq’s double-wicket burst that reduced Zimbabwe to 60/7.
🧵 Cricketory Final Insights & Analysis 🔍💬
- Pakistan are finally playing modern T20 cricket with aggression.
- Usman Tariq is the biggest bowling discovery of the series.
- Babar’s anchor strategy worked because attackers rotated around him.
- Zimbabwe must evolve their PowerPlay strategy.
- Pakistan look set to reach the final unbeaten.