The T20 World Cup match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe went down to the wire with the Craig Ervine-led side holding their nerves and stealing a one-run win. Brad Evans was the hero for Zimbabwe as the pacer successfully defended 11 runs off the last over. Despite conceding seven runs on the first two balls, Evans backed himself and did a terrific job to win the game for Zimbabwe.
Given the responsibility to bowl the 20th over, Evans erred on the first two balls as Pakistan scored seven runs off them. On the first ball, Mohammad Nawaz almost hit a boundary but Craig Ervine’s athleticism saved one run for his team. However, Evans lost it on the second ball as he conceded a boundary. He pulled up his sock for the next ball as he conceded a single on the next delivery.
The pacer now had three runs to defend off three balls. With Mohammad Nawaz at the other end, it seemed match over for Zimbabwe but Evans did not give up. The pacer hit the right length as he bowled a dot ball on the fourth delivery of the over. He put the cherry on the cake as Evans got Nawaz caught at mid-off on the next ball leaving Pakistan with three runs to score off the last ball.
As Shaheen Afridi was at the crease to face the last ball, Mohammad Wasim from the other end was ready to run as many runs as possible. The non-striker had backed way too far but Afridi could not make it and Zimbabwe won by a solitary run. As the game got over, Bard Hogg pointed out the unfair advantage Wasim tried to gain by backing too far across.
Hogg shared a picture showing the non-striker almost two feet outside the crease while Evans was still in his delivery stride. “Why severe penalty needs to be brought in for leaving the crease before the ball is delivered! Last ball of the game last night!” wrote Hogg alongside the picture. To this, Evans gave a surprising reply.
The pacer said that even he knew somewhere that the non-striker was trying to gain an unfair advantage, he did not even think once about running him out. “Guess it’s down to the individual who’s bowling. Not once did it cross my mind to use a mankad,” replied Evans.
