The slow chase allegedly helped Zimbabwe qualify ahead of Scotland, sparking debate over fairness and tournament integrity. The 2026 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Takashinga Sports Club in Harare turned out to be anything but ordinary. On Friday, January 22, Pakistan chased down Zimbabwe’s total, but not in a hurry. In fact, they slowed down on purpose during their run chase, all to give their Net Run Rate (NRR) a little nudge. By stretching the game just a bit longer, Pakistan’s win gave Zimbabwe a tiny edge in NRR, knocking Scotland out.

Source: dna January 23, 2026 00:41 UTC