Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, 3rd T20I at Bulawayo, ZIM vs PAK, Dec 05 2024 - Ball by Ball Commentary

Over the wicket, on a length and angled in from wide of off, makes room to smash it down and gets enough to force it back towards bowler; it hits the stumps at non-striker's end and deflects away towards mid-off; they'll run for everything, got over the line and Zimbabwe have finally broken the curse! What an exhilarating game of cricket, an emotional roller-coaster ride. Raza has finally got a smile on his face, relieved captain!

He miscues the skier and there is another twist in the tale! Dug in short outside off and the ball rises head height, he slinks back to tonk a pull but hasn't got all of it, Tayyab Tahir keeps his cool and pouches it well under pressure

Back of a length around the line off, pokes it back to the bowler, Jahandad fails to hit the stumps at non-striker's end and they sneak a run as crowd goes wild in the stands! The noise is deafening!

Slower back of a length delivery at middle and he has clubbed that over midwicket for a six. Pandemonium has broken out! All the way for a huge six to cause delirium in the stands! That was a violent hit and he punches the air in ecstasy. Zimbabwe just one hit away from a memorable victory! Don't go anywhere

Around the wicket, short and it angles it towards him, he springs down the ground with intent and gets some bat on it, beats the keeper and it skittles away to the rope. Only 8 off 5 required! Perfect start for the home side and the crowd is up on the edge of their seats!

Goes full and keeps it outside off-stump, tries to biff that over leg side and ends up getting an inside-edge that trickles away to short fine

Fraction short and angling in, looks stone dead, no confusion about it and the umpire raises the dreaded finger. Masakadza was looking to clip it away off his pads but didn't account for the angle and inward movement

Traps him lbw! Ball thunders into the back pad and it looks stone dead! No confusion in anyone's mind and umpire is quick to raise the dreaded finger. Abbas gets his man. Hits him plumb in front with a slightly shorter delivery that went on with the angle and he fails to pull that away, took his eyes off in the last second.

Imperious! In the slot and he doesn't miss out. Half-volley outside off, gets underneath it and pounded hard over bowler's head for a four.

Searching for a yorker, full and sliding away from leg-stump

Around the wicket, a loose full-toss on off, cuffs it away in the air towards deep square, was a slower full-toss

Pulled away off his pads to backward square leg for a run

Massive moment in the game! Jahandad gets the prized scalp of Zimbabwe's captain. He can't get it past long-on and Omair didn't have to move much to swallow it down his throat! Went leg-side to larrup it downtown but it was getting big on him, was in a tangle and couldn't get the requisite timing. This game keeps oscillating like a pendulum. It was thumped into the surface and cramped him for room

Back of a length on an irksome off-stump line, blocks it back to Jahandad Khan

Short and gets a hint of inward nip towards middle, takes him on and clobbers a pull to deep square, fumble in the deep two fielders running towards each other from midwicket and square leg, Tayyab with a wayward throw, they get another run, Zimbabwe fight back!

Digs in another slower shorter one but down the leg-side

Belted into the surface on a hard length, pace-off actually, not much room, ball bobbled towards long-on

Around the wicket, pitched up on middle, played in the V and that is staggering running between the wickets, pushed for the second, remarkable fitness!

Flips it on a shorter length and it's floating outside off, adeptly steers it down to third man. 27 off 18 required. It's getting tighter and with Raza still on crease, I'd say advantage Zimbabwe

Hammered in full and tails in; hangs on the backfoot and forces it into the acreage at deep midwicket, better over for Zimbabwe