While Pakistan have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match away T20I series against Zimbabwe, Pakistan right-arm fast bowler Haris Rauf created a new history for his nation.

After Pakistan scored 165/4 in 20 overs after winning the toss, Zimbabwe were all out for only 108 runs in 15.3 overs, as the visitors won the match by 57 runs. Pakistan bowlers dominated in the second innings, especially after the powerplay. 

Haris Rauf finished the match with the bowling figures of 3-0-17-2. After the fast bowler dismissed Ryan Burl (3) in his second over, Rauf bowled Blessing Muzarabani for a golden duck in his third over. 

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Haris Rauf: Leading T20I wicket-taker from Pakistan

While his first wicket of the match was Rauf’s 108th T20I wicket, he surpassed the leg-spinner Shadab Khan (107 wickets) and became the leading T20I wicket-taker for Pakistan. They are the only two bowlers from Pakistan to collect 100+ T20I wickets. Rauf finished the match with 109 T20I wickets in 76 matches. 

With his 109 T20I wickets, Rauf is now the fifth-leading T20I wicket-taker by an Asian bowler and the second-most T20I wicket-taker by an Asian pacer (after the Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman with 132 wickets). Also, Rauf is the fifth most T20I wicket-taker as a pacer and the 14th most overall T20I wicket-taker. 

Pak spinners dominated after teamwork in batting

During Zimbabwe’s unsuccessful chasing, Pakistan spinners Abrar Ahmed (3/28) and Sufiyan Muqeem (3/20) took three wickets each. Among the Zimbabwe batters, only the opener Tadiwanashe Marumani (33) and captain Sikandar Raza (39) reached the double-digit scores. 

Earlier, in the first batting, all the top-order Pakistan batters got some starts but failed to score big runs. While the opener Saim Ayub scored 24 runs off 18 balls (two fours and one six), Usman Khan scored 39 off 30 balls (two fours and two sixes). From 100/4 in 14.2 overs, Tayyad Tahir and Irfan Khan had a 65-run partnership for the unbroken fifth wicket. While Tahir was not out for 39 not out off 25 balls (four fours and one six), Irfan scored 27 not out off 15 balls (three fours).

Among the Chevrons, skipper Sikandar Raza (1/14), Richard Ngarava (1/41), Wellington Masakadza (1/23), and Ryan Burl (1/27) picked up one wicket each.