Pakistan set final date with Australia

Pakistan knocked Zimbabwe out of the Twenty20 tri-series in Harare in a closely-fought encounter on Wednesday, beating the hosts by seven wickets with five deliveries to spare.

Captain Sarfraz Ahmed saw his side home with an unbeaten 38, meaning that Zimbabwe allrounder Solomon Mire's efforts earlier in the game went in vain. 

Mire struck 94, the highest score by a Zimbabwean in a T20 international, but the hosts' 4-162 was not enough to overcome the world's top ranked T20 side.

Pakistan's chase was given a rapid start by the openers. 

Haris Sohail and Fakhar Zaman took 56 from the Power Play, but Sohail holed out soon afterwards. 

When Zaman skied Mire to depart for 47, Pakistan needed more than eight runs an over from the last eight overs, but Sarfraz innings of calm precision kept them up with the asking rate.

Executing his attacking strokes perfectly, the skipper found the gaps and the boundaries whenever they were needed. 

Sarfraz displayed a particularly deft touch with his late cut, taking boundaries off left-arm spinners Tendai Chisoro and Wellington Masakadza with the stroke.

With four runs needed from the final over, it was also the shot he used to end the game, gliding seamer Chris Mpofu to the third man boundary.

Pakistan will face Australia to decide the series' winner on Thursday.

Zimbabwe XI: Hamilton Masakadza (c), Solomon Mire, Cephas Zhuwao, Tarisai Musakanda, Peter Moor (wk), Elton Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller, Tendai Chisoro, Christopher Mpofu, Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza.

Pakistan XI: Sarfraz Ahmed (c/wk), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hussain Talat, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir.

Qantas Tour of Zimbabwe

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Pakistan squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Haris Sohail, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Usman Khan Shinwari, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sahibzada Farhan.

Zimbabwe squad: Hamilton Masakadza (c), Cephas Zhuwao, Chamu Chibhabha, Brian Chari, Tarisai Musakanda, Malcolm Waller, PJ Moor, Tendai Chisoro, Kyle Jarvis, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Mpofu, Ryan Burl, Solomon Mire, Wellington Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Ryan Murray

July 1: Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 74 runs

July 2: Australia beat Pakistan by 9 wickets

July 3: Australia beat Zimbabwe by 100 runs

July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 8: Final