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Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem joined an exclusive club with a magical match-winning spell in the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Tuesday in Bulawayo.
Muqeem's success was attributed to his exceptional pace variation, along with his effective use of top spin and googly, which dismantled Zimbabwe's batting line-up. In a remarkable 2.4-over spell, he claimed five wickets for just three runs. With his stunning figures of 5/3, Muqeem etched his name in history, recording the best-ever bowling figures for Pakistan in T20I cricket. The left-arm spinner surpassed former pacer Umar Gul's record of 5/6 against New Zealand in 2009. Muqeem became part of an elite group of bowlers from Full Member nations who have taken a five-wicket haul in T20Is while conceding fewer than five runs. Before him, only three bowlers--Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath, Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, and India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar--achieved this rare feat. Herath accomplished the milestone in 2014 with figures of 5/3 against New Zealand. Rashid followed with his spell of 5/3 against Ireland in 2017, and Bhuvneshwar joined the group in 2022 with figures of 5/4 against Afghanistan. Muqeem's heroics ensured Zimbabwe's lowest total in T20I history--a mere 57 runs. After winning the toss and opting to bat, Zimbabwe regretted their decision as Muqeem dominated in his brief spell. Although Zimbabwe's openers managed a decent start, Abbas Afridi drew first blood by dismissing Tadiwanashe Marumani. At 37/1, Zimbabwe collapsed dramatically, losing their remaining nine wickets for just 20 runs. In response, Saim Ayub and Omair Yousuf made quick work of the target, wrapping up the game inside the powerplay and securing a 10-wicket victory for Pakistan, along with an unassailable 2-0 series lead. (ANI)
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