Zimbabwe vs Pakistan 3rd ODI - 5 Talking Points

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Zimbabwe vs Pakistan 3rd ODI – 5 Talking Points: After a dramatic finish to the second ODI, which led to Zimbabwe winning the match by dubious circumstances, Pakistan won the series decider pretty comfortably by 7 wickets, albeit some hiccups in between.

After being put on to bat for the second consecutive time, Zimbabwe proceeded to play similarly like the previous match. An 89 run opening partnership was built by the openers, and a perfect platform was set for Zimbabweans for a repeat of previous ODI’s performance. But an inspired spell from all-rounder Bilal Asif, and some poor shot selection from Zimbabwean middle order, eventually led to an almighty collapse to a mediocre total of 161.

Pakistan, in response, started off positively. Zimbabwe lacked the intent to win the game and even managed to drop Bilal early in the innings. Despite gaining three wickets in quick succession, the Pakistani team were never in trouble, and Asad Shafiq and Shoaib Malik got together to take Pakistan over the ropes to a series victory.

Following the series decider, here are Zimbabwe vs Pakistan 3rd ODI – 5 Talking Points:

1. Shoaib Malik’s revival:

With 161 runs in 3 matches, the undisputed series of the match was Shoaib Malik. Picked out of obscurity early this year, Pakistan awarded him with a central contract a month ago, which raised more than a few eyebrows. But a fine performance in this series, albeit against Zimbabwe, will definitely put off critics for a while. With the Pakistani middle order lacking batsmen with consistent performances when required, this rejuvenated Malik could be a perfect fit for a gap left by Misbah’s retirement in the shorter format. Even though he is nearing mid-30s, he still has about 3-4 years in his bag, and can be an important team member if he continues to perform consistently at this level. A lot of eyes will be on his performance against the visiting English team.

2. Rise of the All-Rounders:

Imad Wasim and Bilal Asif have been sort of a revelation for Pakistan this tour. While Imad was impressive in the T20is and the first couple of ODIs, Asif single handedly destroyed the Zimbabwean middle order today. Not only that, both of them have decent contributions with the bat too. While Imad scored a fifty in the only inning he played, Asif helped down to close in on the target today with a 39 ball 38. While both of them are by no means youngsters, they have a lot of years in them. But can they perform against a more resilient and stronger England team? The question will be answered in the coming month.

3. Senior Pakistani Players disappoint:

It was a series to forget for the experienced players including Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shahzad. While Pakistan won the series pretty comfortably, they were in a spot of bother more than once due to middle order collapses and failure at the top order. While Mohammad Rizwan and Wasim bailed the team out in first ODI, Malik nearly chased down the target with the help of Yamin. They would be clearly disappointed with their mediocre show in the ODIs, and the Pakistani camp will be more than a little worried with the form of these players.

4. Zimbabweans shine in parts:

While the Zimbabwean cricket team does not hold the same sting as it used to have in the late 90s, they are passed their worst. While still inconsistent, they can challenge the top teams on their day. But the big “but” being “on their day”. Two similar situations in second and third ODI. While the batsmen applied and played magnificently to score 276 in the second ODI, they imploded and ended up scoring a timid 161. Inconsistency still plagues this talented team, but there is room for improvement.

5. The pillars stand tall:

With the departure of Brendon Taylor, it looked like the financial strain of the Zimbabwean cricket board will finally affect the players choices. But that’s not the case for the likes of E Chigumbura, Chibhabha. Despite losing track at crucial junctures, their performance was admirable most of the times. And it was these senior players who led from the front. To uplift the Zimbabwean team from the current crisis, these players will need to uplift their standards to put Zimbabwe back into the Cricketing map.

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