Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE’S batting frailties were once again brought to the fore as the hosts went down by nine wickets to Pakistan in the final of the Youth One Day International (ODI) Tri-series at Old Hararians Sports Club yesterday.
In a somewhat short and uneventful final, Pakistan Under-19 won the toss and elected to field, the hosts put up a feeble effort with the bat to give their opponents the easiest of tasks in their charge to victory.
Zimbabwe were bundled out for 158 runs, with Pakistan seamer Umar Zaib the chief architect of their demise.
The Pakistan quick made light work of Zimbabwe’s top-order, accounting for four of his side’s first five wickets.
He bowled out opener Samuel Muyambo (1), Takudzwa Makoni (5) and Brendon Ndiweni (1), on top of getting Zimbabwe skipper Kupakwashe Muradzi (6) caught behind by Hamza Zahoor.
Zaib’s four-for left Zimbabwe reeling at 15 for five inside the opening seven overs.
The performance put the hosts on the back foot, leading to questions on the team’s heavy reliance on the bowling department.
In fact, it is the bowling department that brought Zimbabwe into the final and it took only the intervention of Michael Blignaut to bring some modicum of respectability to their final score.
Blignaut put up 60 runs off 102 balls with the 18-year-old fighting the lone battle as he lost partners from the other end at regular intervals.
Tatenda Chimugoro did chip in with an unbeaten 28 runs off 39 balls at the tail end of the innings, as Zimbabwe staggered to 158 runs inside 44 overs.
Blignaut’s half-century was the only bright spot of Zimbabwe’s innings as seven batters failed to even reach double figures.
The duo of Leeroy Chiwaula (15) and Benny Zuze (16) failed to convert their starts into meaningful innings.
Zaib finished as the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with four wickets for 20 runs while Abdul Subhan chipped in with two scalps for 25 runs.
The trio Muhammad Sayyam, Daniyal Ali Khan and Ahmed Hussain claimed a wicket each.
The Pakistan Under-19 team then made light work of the target as they strolled to the 159 target without even breaking a sweat.
Openers Sameer Minhas and Muhammad Shayan gave their team the ideal start, with the duo putting up 145 runs off 85 balls.
Minhas was the chief aggressor, as he finished with 114 runs off 51 balls which included 14 boundaries and five maximums.
Shayan provided support as he chipped in with an unbeaten 38 runs off 42 balls.
The duo took the Zimbabwe bowlers to the cleaners with their performance, cementing Pakistan’s dominance during the tri-series.
With the Youth ODI Under-19 title, the reigning Asia Cup Under-19 winners head into the World Cup with all the momentum.
For Zimbabwe, under-19 coach Elton Chigumbura has a couple of days to address his batting conundrum if the host entertain any hopes of making an impact during the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Speaking after the match, the Zimbabwe Under-19 coach Chigumbura said he will not be pushing any panic button but did admit the batting is a concern.
“We didn’t put up the score that we wanted,” he said.
“I thought the condition changed big time, especially after lunch.
“In the morning, it was a bit challenging, especially facing seamers on that wicket with the overcast conditions. But I was happy with the way we fought back.
“We lost so many wickets in the first 10 overs. Like any other team, if you lose about five wickets in your first 10 overs, 200 will be a tough score to score.
“However, ending on 150, I thought we showed some good character,” said Chigumbura.
The gaffer said that his side just need to make sure that they tighten it up in the first 10 overs, the top order shows, and everything will be good to go for the World Cup.
