Match Details
Date: 27 October 2022
Time : 4:30 PM IST
Venue : Perth Stadium, Perth
Ball-by-ball commentary : SportsTiger App
Preview
Pakistan suffered a gut-wrenching defeat against arch-rivals India in their opening fixture of the T20 World Cup 2022. Defending 160, Pakistan lost the match on the last ball as India chased down the target with four wickets left. But it was not a one-sided match at all. Pakistan fought till the very end, but it was just not meant to be. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s match against South Africa ended in a no result. Now, the Craig Ervine-led side will have to put on a spirited performance if they are to beat Pakistan.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Perth Stadium is known for its raw pace and bounce. Therefore, quick bowlers will be crucial for both teams in the match on Thursday. Batters will also be able to hit through the line with the ball coming onto the bat nicely.
Team Analysis
Pakistan
Although Pakistan lost their first game against India, there were plenty of positives to take from the game. The middle order stepping up while the top order failed to deliver was the biggest positive for the Men in Green. As Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam fell cheaply, Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed bailed the team out of trouble as they formed a 76-run partnership for the third wicket. Both the batters scored half-centuries and helped the team post a fightable total on the board. Then the bowlers gave the perfect start by removing the top three Indian batters within the first six overs. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf provided the breakthroughs. Pakistan was in the game till the very end but a few errors in decision-making cost them the game.
SportsTiger Playing XI of Pakistan
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe could not get a full game against South Africa. But in the limited time they got, it was a decent performance from the Craig Ervine-led side. Although the top order failed, Wesley Madhevere played a quickfire knock of 35* off 18 balls. Meanwhile, Milton Shumba played a struggling knock of 18 runs off 20 balls. With the ball, it was a day to forget for Zimbabwe. In three overs, Zimbabwe conceded 51 runs with almost every bowler getting hammered for runs aplenty. Nevertheless, the Pakistan match will give them a chance to redeem themselves. But it is to be seem if they will be able to the likes of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
SportsTiger Playing XI of Zimbabwe
Regis Chakabva, Criag Ervine, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Wesley Madhevere, Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
Match Prediction
Conclusion
Although Pakistan lost their first match against India, the Babar Azam-led side possesses the ability to beat Zimbabwe on any given day. Hence, Pakistan are the favourites to win the match on Thursday.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the author’s point of view. They neither reflect the opinion of SportsTiger nor advise anyone to make any prediction based on this. SportsTiger does not assume any responsibility and liability for the same.
