Pakistan emerged victorious by 26 runs after Zimbabwe gave them a tough time in the first One-day International against Pakistan here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Chasing 282, Zimbabwe were all out for 255 in 49.4 overs.
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi captured five wickets and veteran pacer Wahab Riaz claimed four wickets.
After a lethargic batting display saw the hosts post a modest 282-run target on a flat deck, Afridi gave Pakistan two early wickets.
However, Zimbabwe’s middle-order pairing of Brendan Taylor and Wesley Madhevere frustrated Pakistan and their 119-run partnership for the fifth wicket appeared to have taken the match away from Pakistan.
That changed when Riaz came back in the 46th over to dismiss Madhevere (55), and together with Afridi cleaned up the African tail.
Earlier, Pakistan managed to set a modest 282-run target for Zimbabwe despite opener Imam-ul-Haq (58 off 75) and Haris Sohail’s (71 off 82) super-slow innings in the middle-order that were more appropriate for Test cricket.
The pair batted at snail’s pace, failed to rotated the strike and when the hard work was done, got dismissed against a Zimbabwe side that bowled with great discipline. While Sohail at least accelerated late, Imam made no such comebacks and set tone for a stop-start innings that put the pressure on lower order. It needed a late Imad Wasim cameo to put together a decent total.
Head to head
Before today’s match, Pakistan and Zimbabwe have faced each other 59 times. The green shirts have won 52 and lost four of those encounters with one tie and two no-results.
Teams
Pakistan: Abid Ali, Imam ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza, Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, Wesley Madhevere, Sean Williams, Carl Mumba, Tendai Chisoro, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava
Match officials: Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Javed Malik (match referee).
