Sikandar Raza | Player of the Match: I am lost for words, my mouth's dry probably because of the emotions I am going through at the moment. I can't tell you how proud I'm of this bunch of boys. The way our seamers started at the top, was just unbelievable and the way we backed it up in the field and the way we kept believing, really lost for words. When we were coming to Australia, I said to my captain (Ervine), If you become Man of the Match, pick any watch from the catalogue and I'll buy you that. But if I win Man of the Match (award), you're going to buy me one. I was reminding him that he owes me three watches now. I was excited today, and I watched this clip by Ricky Ponting earlier in the morning, and that motivated me to come up with this performance. I would like to thank Ricky Ponting for that.
Pakistan only have themselves to blame though. After a splendid show with the ball, their openers failed second time in two successive games and the middle-order, bar Masood, just couldn't hung long enough to see their team through the finish line. That said, Zimbabwean pacers deserve a massive credit for this victory. Their economy rates tell you everything you need to know about their bowling performance.
Playing his first game of the tournament, Brad Evans chipped in with a couple of crucial hits with the bat and then closed out the game with great maturity on his shoulders. The Zimbabwean boys take a ride as they reach every corner to appreciate the fans and friends present in the stadium. The coaching staff is all smiles and the images right after their win (some rolling on floor, some jumping and hollering in joy and some absolutely clueless with what they just witnessed) is worth revisiting for the rest of their lives. Gee, a proper contest that! Stick around for the post-match presentations...
22:38 Local Time, 14:38 GMT, 20:08 IST: Nawaz with the ball in the last over in Pakistan's last game and Nawaz with the bat in the last over today. Gee, that must be heartbreaking. A boundary off the second ball of the final over meant Pakistan needed 3 from 3 with Nawaz on strike. He swung and missed the 4th ball and then got caught trying to clear the infield next ball. And that left Shaheen Afridi to do a Naseem Shah of Asia Cup, but it wasn't to be. Raza deserves a special appreciation here. He collected the ball at long-on and just held his nerve long enough to send the throw to the right end. Had he hurled the ball towards the bowling end, Wasim would have been safe.
Brad Evans to Shaheen Afridi, out Shaheen Afridi Run Out!! 1 run completed. Zimbabwe have done it. They clinch this by one run to hand Pakistan their second defeat in 2 games. Brad Evans backed himself and bowled a full delivery outside off, Shaheen Afridi thumps it firmly off the bottom hand and could only get it as far as long-on. The fielder did not panic and held his nerve to sense a run-out opportunity at the batting end, the throw was sharp but Chakabva fumbled big time before dislodging the bails. Thankfully for Zimbabwe, he recovered just in the nick of time to catch Shaheen Afridi well short of his crease to send the Zimbabwean boys into absolute madness here at Perth. Shaheen Afridi run out (Raza/Chakabva) 1(1)
Brad Evans to Mohammad Nawaz, out Caught by Ervine!! Mohammad Wasim Jr is on his knees. He just cannot believe what he just saw. Mohammad Nawaz looks absolutely gutted as he walks back to the pavilion. 3 needed off the last ball. Brad Evans went for the good length delivery outside off, but with his height he got a bit of extra bounce that caused the miscue on the attempted lofted drive. Ervine at mid-off runs across to his right to complete the catch. Mohammad Nawaz c Ervine b Brad Evans 22(18) [4s-1 6s-1]
Brad Evans to Mohammad Wasim Jr, FOUR, that should be the game for Pakistan. A slower delivery alright, but that's full and right in the ball bashing zone around leg-stump. Wasim perhaps anticipated the slower ball or rather picked it brilliantly - waited, waited and thumped it straight back over the bowler's head
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