Thrilling contest at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's promising chase turned into a nightmare as they succumbed to a 57-run defeat against Pakistan in the first T20I. The match, which seemed evenly poised at one stage, ended with a spectacular batting collapse from the hosts, overshadowing their initial promise.

Chasing a target of 165, Zimbabwe faltered after a powerful start. Abrar Ahmed struck early for Pakistan, reducing the home side to 18/2 in the third over. However, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Sikandar Raza turned the tide momentarily with explosive hitting. Marumani smashed a six and three boundaries in quick succession, and Raza followed suit, propelling Zimbabwe to a solid 60/2 by the end of the powerplay.

The game seemed firmly in Zimbabwe's control at 77/2 in the ninth over until a needless run-out triggered an avalanche of wickets. Ryan Burl's mistimed shot off Haris Rauf further added to the woes, and the middle order crumbled. Zimbabwe lost five wickets within four overs, including the vital wicket of the set Raza. The collapse ended with Zimbabwe all out for 108 in just 15.3 overs. Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem were the stars with the ball, both picking up three wickets each.

Earlier, Pakistan's innings was a mix of caution and aggression. The visitors began on a steady note, with Omair Yousuf and Usman Khan laying the groundwork. Despite a dip in scoring through the middle overs, Pakistan managed a late flourish. Tayyab Tahir and Irfan Khan launched a blistering attack in the death overs, adding 44 runs in the final three overs, pushing Pakistan to a competitive 165/4. Zimbabwe’s bowlers, especially Sikandar Raza, impressed initially but struggled at the death due to some lackluster fielding.

In the end, Pakistan’s disciplined bowling and Zimbabwe’s batting woes made all the difference, handing Pakistan a well-deserved win. With two matches left in the series, Zimbabwe will need to regroup quickly to stay in contention.