Pakistan beat Zimbabwe as Chigumbura’s dream goes in vain – Pakistan v Zimbabwe 1st ODI Review

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe as Chigumbura’s dream goes in vain – Pakistan v Zimbabwe 1^st ODI Review: Pakistan continues to celebrate the return of cricket in the country, as the home side beat Zimbabwe in the first ODI by 41 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Winning the toss, Pakistan posted a big total after their top-order flourished and their bowlers managing to rescue Elton Chigumbura’s dream innings to ensure they a 1-0 lead in the series.

Not before some stirring effort from the Zimbabwe batters, the stand out been skipper Chigumbura who stayed on and clobbered bowlers all around the park as he went on to register his maiden ODI ton.

Pakistani selectors’ decision to bring back veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik back in the one-day internationals hits bulls-eye. As he marked his return for Pakistan’s 50 over side with his eighth ODI hundred-nearly six years after his previous one to take his side to 375 for 3 in 50 overs.

Chasing 376 for the win, visitors started off cautiously as the openers Vusi Sibanda and Sikander Raza added 56 for the first wicket. Anwar Ali got better of Raza as he cheaply flicked one to Hafeez. Sibanda too doesn’t last long as the opener hits one back to Wahab Riaz for 23. Zimbabwe’s premier batsman Masakadza was then joined by Captain Elton Chigumbura. They both started of positively and rotated the strike while hitting boundaries at will and importantly kept the scoreboard moving. Soon the duo brought their respective fifties to take the visitors further closer to the target. Not before the experienced Masakadza trying to hit it over the mid-wicket but not getting the elevation and hitting it straight into Azam’s hand for 73.

Sean Williams the next to bat looked in a hurry. Despite looking scratchy the left-hander collected some important boundaries to take the Zimbabwe inning forward. But he could not carry on the momentum as he was caught by Sarfraz behind the stumps off the bowling of Riaz. Skipper Chigumbura was still striking the ball fearlessly playing some vintage stokes and showed some fireworks to the crowd. Chigumbura took the attack to the comeback man Sami as he struck the pacer for 3 sixes and a boundary in an over to reach his maiden century for Zimbabwe.

The captain then departed for a well compile 117-run knock of just 95 balls and with that demolishing Zimbabwe’s hopes of reaching to the target. Wicket-keeper Mutumbami and Utseya batted till the last to take visitors to a respectable 334 for 5 in their 50 overs. But the visiting team lost the game by 41 runs.

Zimbabwe also posted their highest ODI score against a Test playing nation, 334 for five.

Earlier, Pakistan started off in a grand style thanks to a brilliant opening stand between Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez laid the foundation for the humongous total. Both Azhar and Hafeez struck fluent half-centuries to pile Pakistan for a 100 run partnership for the first wicket. First blow come in form of Ali who top-edged a sweep to fine leg for 79 of Prosper Utseya. Utseya then returned to remove Hafeez who also missed on a ton and was bowled for 86.

Shoaib Malik and Haris Sohail then came together to steady Pakistan as Zimbabwe kept the pressure on and slowed down the scoring. Malik though grew as he spent time at the crease and brought up his fifty, first one after 31 innings, his highest score on home soil. Sohail too brought up his fifty, his sixth ODI fifty and looked very promising.  The duo bringing up the second century stand off the innings as the visitors started to slip up in the field.  Then came the big moment, the comeback man Malik bought up his eighth century in just 70 balls, this one coming after six long years. Haris Sohail remained unbeaten on 89. Malik was out off the last ball of the inning but he had scored 112 already. Malik and Sohail shared a 200-run stand for the fifth wicket.

It has been a happy outing for the hosts as they registered a comprehensive victory against Zimbabwe. Shoaib Malik played a magnificent knock on his comeback as he registered his first century in six years and was declared Man of the Match.

Zimbabwe had a decent start but lost their way in the middle overs. Hamilton Masakadza played a good hand, Elton Chigumbura raced to his maiden ODI ton, but they never looked on track in pursuit of 376. This also marks Azhar Ali’s first win as ODI captain.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan 375 for 3 in 50 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 86, Azhar Ali 79, Shoaib Malik 112, Haris Sohail 89; Prosper Utseya 2 for 63) beat Zimbabwe by 41 runs.
Zimbabwe 334 for 5 in 50 overs (Hamilton Masakadza 73, Elton Chigumbura 117; Wahab Riaz 3 for 47, Shoaib Malik 1 for 33).