PAK VS ZIM - 24th Match, Super 12 Group 2, ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2022

Those last couple of lines from skipper Ervine sums up what the sport is all about. Don't think anyone would have given Zimbabwe a smidgen of a chance before the start of the game, especially against Pakistan who were hurting after a heady affair against India at the MCG. Zimbabwe did look good in patches, but they somehow managed to pass the "panic test" when it mattered the most - an age old problem that proved to dent minnows/lower-ranked-teams many-a-time in the past. We had back-to-back one-sided affairs at SCG earlier today, but the West saved the best for us to end our day on a cricketing high. Been an absolute privilege bringing you all the action alongside Sagar Chawla, Nikhil Jadhav and Praveen Kumar. Until tomorrow at the MCG, with a hope that the weather improves, it's goodbye from Raju Peethala. Cheers!!

Craig Ervine | Zimbabwe skipper: So special. Especially for the work we did to get into the Super 12s. We did not want our tournament to end there. We wanted to come in and play some really good cricket against top teams and we did that exceptionally well today. I thought after our batting performance, we thought we were maybe 20-25 short, but I thought our seamers hit their straps early on. Raza again came to the party as he always does and picked up a few crucial wickets in the middle there. I think he's (Raza) got three Man of the Matches, so I'm gonna be broke by the time we get home. Also I want to thank the Zimbabwean supporters that came out today to suppport us. You guys really lift our spirits wherever we go, so special thanks.

Babar Azam | Pakistan skipper: We would have taken 130 at the halfway stage. Very disappointing performance, we are not up to the mark in batting. We have good batters but both openers got out in the powerplay. When Shadab and Shan were building partnership, unfortunately Shadab got out and then back-to-back wickets that pushed us into pressure situation. First 6 overs, we haven't used the new ball well but we finished well with the ball. We will sit out, discuss our mistakes and we will train hard and come back strong in our next game.

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 Shaheen Afridi, THATS OUT!! Run Out!!

Stop whatever you are doing. Zimbabwe have won a heart-stopper. They win by one run.

Shaheen Afridi, left handed bat, comes to the crease

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 Nawaz, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Brad Evans to Mohammad Nawaz, no run, brave delivery that. Pacy short ball outside off, Nawaz went swinging down the wicket and got beaten for pace and bounce. The keeper was alert and got into readiness to hit the stumps to pull Nawaz back into his crease

3 from 3 now

Brad Evans to Mohammad Wasim Jr, 1 run, Brad Evans digs it short outside off, Wasim clears his front leg and slaps it past the leaping left hand of the bowler

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

8 needed

Brad Evans to Mohammad Nawaz, 3 runs, pitched up right in the slot outside off, Nawaz stays still and thumps it in the gap between mid-off and extra cover. Ervine gives chase and manages to pull the ball back inches inside the boundary ropes with a well-timed dive to his right

Brad Evans [3.0-0-16-1] is back into the attack

Pakistan will be thinking 2 hits. And for Zimbabwe, they need to string at least a couple of dots off the first 2 balls to create more panic...Just 11 needed