CHEVRONS CRUSH PAKISTAN, END LENGTHY 9-YEAR WAIT

Brandon Moyo

THE Chevrons ended a nine-year wait to beat Pakistan in a One Day International at Queens Sports Club yesterday.

A brilliant bowling display saw Zimbabwe topple Pakistan by 80 runs (D/L method) in a game that was brought to a premature end by rain as the hosts got off the three-match series on a high note.

The Chevrons had last beaten Pakistan in ODIs in Harare in 2015.

To make yesterday’s win even sweeter, it was Zimbabwe’s first ODI win of the year having last registered victory during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in July last year.

Their last win in 50-over cricket was against Oman at Queens Sports Club.

The Chevrons were asked to bat first and were bowled out for 205 runs in 40,2 overs,

However, that score proved too much for Pakistan who, at the time of the rain disruption, were on 60/6 after 21 overs.

An unlikely hero emerged in Zimbabwe’s batting innings as fast bowler Richard Ngarava finished as the Chevrons’ leading run getter.

Ngarava, coming in to bat at number 10, topped scored with a brilliant 48 runs off 52 balls.

Faisal Akram and Salman Agha were the pick of the Pakistani bowlers with three wickets apiece.

Zimbabwe’s defence got off to the best possible start as Blessing Muzarabani struck early.

The lanky fast bowler dismissed Pakistan’s openers inside five overs.

He had both Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique caught behind for 11 and one run respectively.

Man-of-the-match Raza would go on to complete his all round performance as he also took two wickets for just seven runs in three overs.

Williams also had another brilliant spell, finishing with figures of 2/12 in six overs.

“Like most people I thought that was a below par score. Two hundred and fifty on that wicket would have been a really good score because it was turning,” said Raza.

“Playing spin on that wicket was a bit difficult.”

All the proceeds from yesterday’s encounter were donated to KidzCan Zimbabwe, an organisation that is doing philanthropic work towards increasing the survival rate of childhood cancer in Zimbabwe.