Pakistan beat Australia in the final of tri-series. (Source: AP)
Pakistan beat Australia by six wickets in the final of tri-series at Harare on Sunday. They chased down a target of 184 with four balls to spare. This was primarily due to a sensational knock by Fakhar Zaman (91 off 46) and Shoaib Malik’s poised 43. This is their ninth consecutive T20 series win. This also their first win in a tournament final over Australia after 28 years. Earlier, Australia and Pakistan faced each other twice in the round robin stage of the T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe. On the first occasion, Billy Stanlake and Aaron Finch blew Pakistan away for the win. Then, it was Pakistan’s turn to even things with a comprehensive show with the bat and the ball. However, in the all-important final, it was Pakistan who came up trumps.
A boundary and that's it Pakistan have won the match by six wickets. A breathtaking knock by Fakhar Zaman (91 off 46) seals tri-series final for Pakistan. This is their ninth consecutive T20 series win. This also their first win in a tournament final over Australia after 28 years.
17 runs came of the 18th over as Pakistan edge closer to a fine win. Shoabi Malik hit one maximum while Asif Ali hit the other one. 11 runs are needed of 2 overs. This match is for Pakistan's to loose.
Fakhar Zaman's terrific innings of 91 comes to an end. Good catch in the deep by the substuitute fielder - Maddinson. Jhye Richardson gets his first wicket of the match. PAK- 154/4, 16 ovs. Pakistan still need 30 runs in 24 balls
Fakhar Zaman (90) and Shoaib Malik (23) have a forged a fantstic century stand between themselves. 101 of 58 balls as Pakistan edge closer to a stunning win. PAK 148-3, 15 ovs
Third half-century of the series for Fakhar Zaman and it comes off just 30 balls. Reaches there in style with a six. However, he is not done yet and slams Agar for yet another six and a four. 17 runs have come off the over and could it be the game-changing over? PAK- 112/3 in 12 ovs
A strange over by Jack Wildermuth as he is forced to bowl a 10-ball over. 4 wides were bowled in it including a hattrick of wides. Australia need to get their act together. PAK 95/3, 11 ovs. Pakistan still need 89 runs in 54 balls
10 overs gone and Pakistan have reached 79/3. Fakhar Zaman is not out on 41 off 24. Shoaib Malik is unbeaten on 9 off 14 balls. Pakistan still need to get 105 runs in 60 balls.
A six and a four by Zaman and Pakistan have broken the shackels. Zaman and the experienced Shoaib Malik are at the crease but they need to go on and build a big partership. PAK- 74/3, 9 ovs.
And Pakistan are - 48/3 in 6 ovs. Its been a rollercoaster for the men in green. They lost two wickets in the first over and then came back well to score quick runs in the next five. However, the untimely run-out of skipper Sarfraz Ahmed is a big setback. Let's see how they go on from here.
Sarfraz Ahmed is gone for 28. Poor running between the wickets by the Pakistan skipper. Looking for a third run but fails to make is ground as Richardson does some good work in the field. A budding partnership comes to an end. PAK 47/3, 5.2 ovs
Sarfraz Ahmed makes room and slaps one off Jhye Richardson over the mid-off region for a boudnary. Not the connection he would like but it doesn't matter as the result is a four. PAK- 41/2, 5 ovs
Consecutive boundaries for Zaman off Maxwell and then Sarfraz Ahmed launches into Maxwell and hit him for a huge six after which slams a boundary off the last ball of the over. Big over for Pakistan, 21 runs came off it. PAK 26-2, 3 ovs
Fakhar Zaman is at the crease with his new opening partner- Sahibzada Farhan. Glenn Maxwell has the ball in hand. But tragedy strikes for the debutant as he stumped for a duck off Maxwell. Moments later it is Hussain Talat who departs without troubling the scoreboard. Glenn Maxwell is delighted with two wickets in the first over. PAK 3-2 after 1 over
4 runs of the last ball and Australia end with- 183/8 in 20 ovs. The sequence in the last over from Amir - W 1 0 W 2 4. Pakistan needs 184 to win the Tri-Series final. We have an exciting contest ahead of us. Stay tuned.
A perfect yorker by Mohammad Amir leads to the dismissal of Andrew Tye for a duck. AUS 177/8 19.4 ovs
Ashton Agar is gone for 7 as Hasan Ali bags his first wicket of the match. The very next delivery and this time it is Travis Head who is out for 19. AUS- 176/7, 19.1 ovs
What a catch! Shadab Khan takes a ripper to get rid of Alex Carey for 2. The ball was hit hard towards the mid-off region but Shadab dives full-stretch on his right side to take a brilliant catch. Pakistan are well and truly back into the match. Their fielding has been outstanding today. AUS- 166/5, 17.4 ovs
D Arcy Short is out for a well made 76 of 53 balls. Shaheen Afridi picks up his first wicket of the match. Australia are starting to lose wickets at regular intervals and the departure of a well-set Short will be a big setback for the Aussies. AUS 148/4, 16.2 ovs
Low full toss and Stoinis (12) smashes it straight to Malik at cover boundary. Australia lose their third wicket. Mohammad Amir is delighted with his first wicket. AUS 146/3, 15.4 ovs
Length ball from Hasan Ali and D Arcy Short launches into it over long-on. The next delivery meets the same fate but this time it is over long-off. D Arcy Short has raced to 76 off 52 balls. AUS 137/2, 15 ovs
D Arcy Short gets really lucky here off Shadab Khan. The ball not meant for it to be cut, length not in it to justify that shot and he goes for it and gets an outside edge that runs away to the third man region for a boundary
Glenn Maxwell departs for 5 runs from 5 balls. Asif Ali holds on at long on and Maxwell departs early. Shadab Khan strikes. Maxwell makes room to the length ball, and hits it right down the throat of long-on
Misfield by Pakistan and D Arcy Short alongside Glenn Maxwell picked up a double. Should not have been a run at all and ends up being two runs. It also brings up Short's fifty in 38 balls
Aaron Finch departs for 47 runs from 27 balls. Taken by Sahibzada and Pakistan get their first. Finch connected well with the delivery and it was smacked towards Sahibzada at cover, but he stands firm to grab it in front of his face
Shadab once again, Finch once again, six once again. Finch gets his leg out of the way and belts it over long on for a six
Aaron Finch on the attack! Smashed back down the ground for six by Finch. Bit of flight by Shadab and it has been tonked for a six! No stopping that
Another six in the over and it brings up the 50 for Australia before the power play overs. Faheem goes for 16 runs in the over. After powerplay overs, Australia are 54/0
Australia have been lucky thus far. Plenty of top-edges and half-connected shots thus far. One chance dropped, two have landed in no-man's land. Finally, something that has connected well off D Arcy Short's bat and it goes all the way for a six. Pulled away for a six over short fine leg
Aaron Finch dropped off his first ball! This could well come back to bite Pakistan. Short of length outside off from Ashraf and Finch tries to heave it through midwicket. The top-edge goes some distance and Amir and Shoaib Malik both come underneath. Amir the better option from fine leg. Malik had been running back from square leg. And after holding it, the ball comes away
Australia get things going with a boundary from the first ball. D Arcy Short and Aaron Finch arrive in the middle after the national anthems. Amir into the attack. First ball of the match is slashed down towards third man for a boundary. Another boundary added on the fourth ball
Australia: D'Arcy Short comes back into the XI in place of Nic Maddinson
Pakistan: Debut for Sahibzada Farhan, who comes in for Haris Sohail at the top. Hasan Ali comes in for Usman Khan
Pakistan (Playing XI): Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Hussain Talat, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi
Australia (Playing XI): Aaron Finch(c), D Arcy Short, Alex Carey(w), Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Jack Wildermuth, Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye, Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake
Australia have won the toss and opted to bat in Harare
Australia captain Aaron Finch on the eve of the match: "Slowly we're starting to find the right balance and a little bit more of an understanding of how each other play the game."
Hello and Good Afternoon! Welcome to our live coverage of the tri-series in Zimbabwe and we've reached the final stage of the series as Australia and Pakistan look to get the most important win of it all after being split in the group stages.