Wed Dec 04 03:53:05 UTC 2024: ## Pakistan Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem Bags Historic Five-Wicket Haul, Records Best T20I Bowling Figures
**Bulawayo, Zimbabwe:** Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem etched his name into cricketing history on Tuesday, achieving the best-ever bowling figures for Pakistan in a T20I match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Muqeem’s stunning spell of 5/3 in just 2.4 overs demolished the Zimbabwean batting line-up, contributing to their lowest ever T20I total of 57 runs.
His performance surpassed former Pakistan pacer Umar Gul’s previous record of 5/6, placing Muqeem in an elite group of bowlers from Full Member nations to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is while conceding fewer than five runs. He joins Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, and India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar in this exclusive club.
Muqeem’s masterful bowling, characterized by exceptional pace variation, top spin, and googlies, saw Zimbabwe crumble after a promising start. Following Abbas Afridi’s early breakthrough, Muqeem’s spell triggered a dramatic collapse, with Zimbabwe losing their remaining nine wickets for a mere 20 runs.
Pakistan’s chase was a swift affair, with Saim Ayub and Omair Yousuf guiding their team to a 10-wicket victory inside the powerplay, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The Zimbabwean team, having won the toss and elected to bat first, clearly regretted their decision in the face of Muqeem’s exceptional bowling prowess.
First Piper 