151/5 (19.2)
CR : 7.81
147/8 (20.0)
CR : 7.35
Pakistan won by 5 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Mohammad Nawaz
2/2221(12)
Moment of the Match: Brad Evans (double-wicket 5th over to dismiss Farhan and Babar)
Superstar Bowler of the Match: Mohammad Nawaz (2/22 from 4 overs)
Superpower of the Match: Babar Azam (outfield catch to dismiss Ryan Burl)
Confident All-Rounder of the Match: Saim Ayub (22 runs and 1/31)
Electrifying Batter of the Match: Fakhar Zaman (44 runs off 32 balls)
Player of the Match: Mohammad Nawaz
Mohammad Nawaz (POTM): "Of course, feeling good. At the start of the series, it was good to give the team a good start. It is important to start the Tri-Series with a win. Starting the series well builds confidence as a team.
It isn't easy sometimes. As a bowler, I tried to stick to my plans. And the pitch was helping a little, too. Tried to keep varying lines and lengths.
(On bowling) Little different. Rawalpindi is my home ground. Usually, a high-scoring surface, but tonight, it played slightly differently. T20 cricket is not easy. I feel I'm at the top of my game, but T20 cricket momentum can change in one or two overs, so you have to be on top of the situation all the time and keep reading the game's progress. That's what we did well tonight, I think.
I want to tell you something. This award I want to dedicate to my kids and family."
It isn't easy sometimes. As a bowler, I tried to stick to my plans. And the pitch was helping a little, too. Tried to keep varying lines and lengths.
(On bowling) Little different. Rawalpindi is my home ground. Usually, a high-scoring surface, but tonight, it played slightly differently. T20 cricket is not easy. I feel I'm at the top of my game, but T20 cricket momentum can change in one or two overs, so you have to be on top of the situation all the time and keep reading the game's progress. That's what we did well tonight, I think.
I want to tell you something. This award I want to dedicate to my kids and family."
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe Captain): "Good to see you too, Pommie. At halfway, I did not think we posted a good total. The wicket needed some batsmanship. Some of us have to grind for the team and find a partnership. We could not do that, and we should have posted around 160 on this wicket.
The guys were trying; we cannot fault them for that. Pakistan has some mystery, and they have quality spinners; it's not easy to put them away. But if we had got 6-7 per over, I would have pulled the plug earlier. We did not know how much dew would be there, but we wanted to put Pakistan against the wall, and we could have won from there.
There was not much turn, it was slightly stoppy. The pace was not there from spinners for ones or twos. With the quality we have, I thought 160 would have been enough. There are more positives than negatives, but the last hurdle persists, where we cannot maintain consistency. As a captain, I would like to have my team cross the finish line.
These are conditions that are not very easy, but that's why we love the game. With every new challenge, we want to find solutions and take the country forward in this sport."
The guys were trying; we cannot fault them for that. Pakistan has some mystery, and they have quality spinners; it's not easy to put them away. But if we had got 6-7 per over, I would have pulled the plug earlier. We did not know how much dew would be there, but we wanted to put Pakistan against the wall, and we could have won from there.
There was not much turn, it was slightly stoppy. The pace was not there from spinners for ones or twos. With the quality we have, I thought 160 would have been enough. There are more positives than negatives, but the last hurdle persists, where we cannot maintain consistency. As a captain, I would like to have my team cross the finish line.
These are conditions that are not very easy, but that's why we love the game. With every new challenge, we want to find solutions and take the country forward in this sport."
Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan Captain): "It was a close game. I think we didn't start well in both departments. We didn't start well with both ball and bat. When you don't start well, it tends to get close.
The spinners have been doing well for the last 4-5 months. Whoever comes into the side, they are the ones who raise their hands and put us back in the game.
When we came last night and saw the pitch, I thought that it wasn't going to be as high-scoring a pitch as it normally would be. It hasn't been high-scoring surfaces lately here in Pindi.
It is a 160-180 kind of a pitch, but we bowled really well. I was very happy to chase 147.
We need to start well, bowling or batting. We need to be ruthless in the powerplay. That's what I'm going to talk about. We have a few off days now. Need to refresh and comeback."
The spinners have been doing well for the last 4-5 months. Whoever comes into the side, they are the ones who raise their hands and put us back in the game.
When we came last night and saw the pitch, I thought that it wasn't going to be as high-scoring a pitch as it normally would be. It hasn't been high-scoring surfaces lately here in Pindi.
It is a 160-180 kind of a pitch, but we bowled really well. I was very happy to chase 147.
We need to start well, bowling or batting. We need to be ruthless in the powerplay. That's what I'm going to talk about. We have a few off days now. Need to refresh and comeback."
That's it from the first T20I of the tri-series! Pakistan open their account in the series and continue their good form! Join us back tomorrow as we continue to bring you the LIVE cricketing action from around the world.
Until then, this is Anirudh Modi, signing off along with my colleagues AkshayaKrishna Polya and Ghanendra Singh Thakur! See you at the next one.
Until then, this is Anirudh Modi, signing off along with my colleagues AkshayaKrishna Polya and Ghanendra Singh Thakur! See you at the next one.