T20 WC: Pakistan now tamed by Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe held their nerve for a 1-run victory over Pakistan Thursday in the latest upset at the T20 World Cup.

Third-place Zimbabwe, whose opening group match was abandoned against South Africa, have three points, one more than Bangladesh.

The Green Shirts are in trouble with zero points. It was their second successive defeat after a nerve-wracking loss against arch-rival India.

Pakistan's brittle middle-order batters were restricted at 129-8 in a thrilling match at Perth after Zimbabwe chose to bat first and struggled against pace on a bouncy wicket to make 130-8.

It just proved enough for Zimbabwe, helped by 14 extras.

Unorthodox spinner Sikandar Raza bagged 3-25 and brought Zimbabwe back in the hunt in the 14th over with the wickets of Shadab Khan and Haider Ali off successive deliveries. Raza then dealt a major blow by having top-scorer Shan Masood (44) stumped off a wide ball down the leg side in the next over.

"I'm lost for words, my throat's dry probably because of all the emotions," Raza said. "The way our seamers started at the top as well is just unbelievable and the way we backed it up in the field and the way we kept believing, I don't think there's any words I can share right now."

Mohammad Nawaz, who made 22, brought the target down to 11 off the last over and Mohammad Wasim narrowed it to three off the last three deliveries before Brad Evans had Nawaz caught at long off and then Shaheen Afridi was run out off the final ball with Pakistan falling short of the target.

Earlier, Pakistan's tactics of going with four fast bowlers worked out well with Wasim picking up 4-24 and Shadab bowling a tidy spell of 3-23 in the middle overs.

Zimbabwe got off to a flying start of 42 in five overs before slipping to 95-7, losing four wickets for no runs. Sean Williams top-scored with 31 before Shadab ignited the collapse by clean bowling Williams and Babar Azam grabbed a superb one-handed catch offered by Regis Chakabva over his head in the lone slip.