The Mystery of Rawalpindi: Tariq’s Hat-Trick Hex Breaks Zimbabwe’s Back

It takes a special kind of bowler to silence a stadium before sending it into rupture. In Rawalpindi tonight, Usman Tariq did exactly that. On a chilly evening where the pitch looked tired and the dew threatened to skew the contest, the mystery spinner produced a spell for the ages, claiming a historic hat-trick that saw Pakistan crush Zimbabwe by 69 runs and book their ticket to the Triangular Series final.

While half-centuries from Babar Azam (74) and Sahibzada Farhan (63) provided the 195-run scoreboard pressure, it was the 10th over of the chase that transformed a competitive match into a procession.

The 10th Over: Anatomy of a Collapse

When Usman Tariq was handed the ball for the 10th over, Zimbabwe were 60 for 4. They were wobbling, but with the experienced Sikandar Raza and danger-man Ryan Burl still in the hut, the chase wasn’t dead. Six balls later, it was buried.

Tariq’s action is a puzzle—a stuttering, pausing run-up that freezes the batter just long enough to sow doubt.

• Ball 1 (The Trap): Tariq floated one wide of off-stump. Tony Munyonga, attempting to sweep against the turn, could only top-edge it. The ball looped gently to short fine leg. It was a soft dismissal, born of pressure.
• Ball 2 (The Deception): The very next delivery was the masterpiece of the spell. Tashinga Musekiwa, facing his first ball, expected the drift. Instead, the ball skidded straight on with the arm. Musekiwa played all around it, his stumps rattled before his bat came down.
• Ball 3 (The History): With the crowd sensing history, Tariq didn’t overcomplicate. He tossed it up, inviting the drive. Wellington Masakadza obliged but failed to keep it down, chipping it straight to Babar Azam at mid-off.

In the span of three deliveries, Zimbabwe went from 60/4 to 60/7. The “Rawalpindi Express” may be a fast bowler’s nickname, but tonight, the damage was done in slow motion.

The X-Factor

“There’s a big process behind my action,” Tariq revealed at the post-match presentation, clutching the Player of the Match trophy. “I need to take care of pace and spin variations. I wasn’t expecting a big shot on the hat-trick ball.”

This humility belies the technical astuteness of his bowling. By stopping his momentum mid-action, he forces batters to generate their own power—a fatal requirement on a pitch that was gripping slightly. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha was vindicated in his decision to play the extra spinner, later calling Tariq a “bowler with an X-factor.”

The Context

It would be remiss to ignore the platform set by Pakistan’s batters. After Saim Ayub fell early, Babar Azam and Sahibzada Farhan constructed a silky 103-run partnership. Farhan was the aggressor, striking 63 off 41 balls, while Babar (74 off 52) played the anchor before accelerating. A late cameo from Fakhar Zaman—blasting 27* off just 10 balls—pushed the total to an imposing 195/5.

Zimbabwe’s lone resistance came from Ryan Burl, whose unbeaten 67 was a masterful innings played in the ruins of a chase. But without support, he was fighting a lone battle against a Pakistan attack that smelled blood.

Looking Ahead

With this win, Pakistan qualifies for the final on November 29, leaving Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka to scrap for the remaining spot on Tuesday.

But the story of the night belongs to Usman Tariq. Becoming only the fourth Pakistani to take a T20I hat-trick, he has announced himself not just as a curios option, but as a genuine match-winner. As world cricket turns its eyes toward the upcoming major tournaments in Asia, Pakistan seems to have found a weapon that batters—and cameras—are still trying to decode.