Usman Tariq takes hat-trick against Zimbabwe in tri-Series

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s spinner Usman Tariq on Sunday took a hat-trick against Zimbabwe in the fourth match of the Tri-Nation Series.

Usman picked his first wicket, Tony Munyonga, on the second ball of the 10th over. He took his second by removing Tashinga Musekiwa on the very next ball and then secured his third wicket, Wellington Masakadza, to complete the hat-trick.

Later, he also picked a fourth wicket by dismissing Tinotenda Maposa.

It was Usman Tariq’s fourth hat-trick of his career.

Earlier, Gutsy half-centuries from Sahibzada Farhan and Babar Azam followed by Fakhar Zaman’s cameo powered Pakistan to a strong total against Zimbabwe in the fourth fixture of the T20I tri-series.

Batting first here under lights at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan piled up 195-5 in their 20 overs.

Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan added 29 for the opening wicket in 2.3 overs. The former was caught after scoring 13 from 8 with the help of two sixes.

Following the early wicket, Sahibzada Farhan and Babar Azam forged a 103-run stand as both players flexed their muscles at the back end of the innings.

Farhan, who remained the core aggressor, made 63 from 41 balls, laced with three maximums and four boundaries, while Babar played the second fiddle and hit two sixes and seven fours on his way to 74 from 52 balls.

Sahibzada departed in the 15th over when Pakistan were cruising at 132 in 15.2 overs.

Nonetheless, it was Fakhar Zaman’s cameo in the last over that took Pakistan near the 200-run mark. The southpaw, who came down the order hit three sixes in his 27 from just 10 balls.

For Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza picked up two wickets in his quota of four overs.

Playing XIs

Zimbabwe: 1 Brian Bennett, 2 Tadiwanashe Marumani, 3 Brendan Taylor (wk), 4 Sikandar Raza (capt.), 5 Ryan Burl, 6 Tony Munyonga, 7 Tashinga Musekiwa, 8 Brad Evans, 9 Tinotenda Maposa, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Wellington Masakadza