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Jeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
MOHAMMED Hafeez’s ton set up Pakistan for what turned up to be an easy 90-run victory over Zimbabwe to level the three-match ODI series 1-1 at Harare Sports Club yesterday after the hosts threatened but then ran out of strength in a huge chase.
Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor scored 79 runs off 95 in vain as his side was bowled out for 209 after being set 300 runs for victory.
Until the 40th over in their chase, the Zimbabweans were firmly in the game but when Taylor went out, their challenge collapsed.
Pakistan needed to make amends for their decision to bat first in bowler-friendly conditions on Tuesday when they lost the toss and were once again asked to bat first yesterday.
“Conditions here improve in the second innings so 299 was a good score for our bowlers.
“The Zimbabwe batsmen were playing sensibly, so that was something to worry about,” said Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq.
“I was only looking for a wicket and once Taylor got out, there was huge pressure on them to score over 10-per-over.
“We hope to put a good show on Saturday and we really need to improve in the next game.”
A cautious start was important against Tendai Chatara, Brian Vitori and Tinashe Panyangara, which helped Zimbabwe reduce Pakistan to 84 for three in the 22nd over with a clinical performance in the field, but a fourth-wicket stand of 129 between Hafeez and Umar Amin put Pakistan on course for the imposing total they needed.
Afridi clubbed three sixes on his way to 39 not out as Pakistan took 64 runs from the final five overs of the innings, leaving Zimbabwe with a huge task if they are to claim their first series victory over the tourists.
Junaid Khan shattered all chances of the home side’s comeback taking four wickets for 15 runs in seven overs to remove the last bit of resistance from the middle order.
Taylor and Malcolm Waller kept Zimbabwe in the contest with a 65-run fifth-wicket stand but both men fell in the space of two balls to effectively seal the contest for the visitors.
At one point Zimbabwe needed 100 runs to win from 11 overs with six wickets at hand.
“We had the momentum and self-belief from the last game. There are areas to improve on.
“The first game did us wonders but we’ll have to produce something good and rectify a few things now,” said Taylor.
Taylor’s departure heralded the start of a collapse from the hosts who lost their last five wickets, including the surprise one of Elton Chigumbura, dismissed lbw to a ball that pitched outside leg, for the addition of just nine runs with Junaid taking three of the wickets to fall. Junaid Khan removed Malcom Waller and Chigumbura in the 42nd over to end that little fight the hosts had in them.
The two teams next meet tomorrow for the final and all decisive third ODI at Harare Sports Club.
Scorecard
Pakistan 299/4 (50 overs) v Zimbabwe 209 all out (42.4 ov)
Harare Sports Club
Toss: Zimbabwe, elected to bowl
Result: Pakistan, 90 runs
Pakistan Innings
Nasir Jamshed lbw b Utseya 32
Ahmed Shehzad c Maruma b Vitori 5
Mohammad Hafeez not out 136
Misbah-ul-Haq c Williams b Vitori 3
Umar Amin run out 59
Shahid Afridi not out 39
Extras (3lb, 20w, 2nb) 25
Total (4 wkts, 50 overs) 299
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Ahmed Shehzad), 2-62 (Nasir Jamshed), 3-84 (Misbah-ul-Haq), 4-213 (Umar Amin)
Did not bat: Sarfraz Ahmed, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan
Bowling
Panyangara 10-1-71-0, Vitori 10-1-68-2, Chatara 10-2-50-0, Utseya 10-2-54-1, Masakadza 4-0-24-0, Chigumbura 1-0-10-0, Williams 3-0-12-0, Waller 2-0-7-0
Zimbabwe Innings
H. Masakadza b Junaid Khan 24
V. Sibanda c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Irfan 2
B. Taylor c Mohammad Irfan b Saeed Ajmal 79
T. Maruma run out 8
S. Williams st Sarfraz Ahmed b Saeed Ajmal 37
M. Waller b Junaid Khan 40
E. Chigumbura lbw b Junaid Khan 0
P. Utseya b Junaid Khan 3
T. Panyangara not out 3
T. Chatara c Sarfraz Ahmed b Abdur Rehman 2
B. Vitori c Mohammad Irfan b Abdur Rehman 0
Extras (6lb, 4w, 1nb) 11
Total (all out, 42.4 overs) 209
Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Sibanda), 2-42 (Masakadza), 3-65 (Maruma), 4-135 (Williams), 5-200 (Taylor), 6-200 (Waller) 7-201 (Chigumbura), 8-206 (Utseya), 9-209 (Chatara), 10-209 (Vitori)
Bowling
Mohammad Irfan 8-1-45-1, Abdur Rehman 9.4-0-36-2, Junaid Khan 7-2-15-4, Mohammad Hafeez 6-0-35-0, Saeed Ajmal 7-0-40-2, Shahid Afridi 5-0-32-0.
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