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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE captain, Chamu Chibhabha, needs to start leading from the front as the Chevrons try to avoid a series whitewash in the third One Day International against Pakistan in Rawalpindi today.
The Chevrons have struggled to match the intensity of their opponents, in the first two games, which ended in disappointing defeats.
Pakistan have already wrapped up the series after taking a 2-0 lead.
They won the first match by 26 runs before dominating their opponents in the second encounter for a six-wicket win.
Zimbabwe may need to approach the game differently if they hope to get consolation out of this series.
The Chevrons’ problems have been two-fold at most.
Firstly, the team batting has not been up to scratch, especially in the top order and the lack of genuine pace in the ranks has worked to the advantage of the hosts.
Skipper Chibhabha and his opening partner Brian Chari have failed to provide the rest with a platform to build a solid innings.
The duo have struggled to cope with the pace of the Pakistani bowlers and, most of the time, it has been the middle order that had to salvage some runs to avoid being totally outplayed.
“We never got going. We never really had a partnership to set us up for a good score,’’ said Chibhabha.
“I thought they bowled really well, they came hard at us. We remain optimistic with one game to go.
“If we can get a win it’ll make a huge difference in the change room.’’
However, the 34-year old all-rounder knows that scoring a total of 19 runs in two matches is not good enough for an opening batsman.
There have been some positives with the bat from old hand Brendan Taylor, who scored a ton in the first match, newboy Wesley Madhevere and Sean Williams but more need to come to the party.
Zimbabwe may also do with giving other players in the squad a chance.
The team was unchanged in the first two games, which was probably expected, after the Chevrons ran their hosts close in the first game.
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe could get a run, as an option to the opening woes, while Ryan Burl is also an alternative to strengthen the middle order.
Zimbabwe may not have immediate solutions to their problems, with lack of pace bowlers, but there are also options available with Tendai Chatara and Donald Tiripano in the picture.
For acting coach Douglas Hondo, the opening two games have been a mixed bag.
There was hope and encouragement, in the first game, before the wheels came off in the second match.
Hondo told reporters, via a virtual conference, that he also wants to see a change of fortunes as the matches are coming thick and fast.
He was critical of the way Zimbabwe lost the first two games.
He said Zimbabwe needed to start winning to salvage points in the Super League campaign and enhance chances of qualifying to the ICC 2023 World Cup.
“It was lack of application; we simply gave the wickets away. We are going to try and win the next game because it’s all about accumulating points for the next World Cup so we are coming for the next game to try and win it.
“We need to play a complete game in both innings.
In the first match we didn’t finish the batting innings well and we could have bowled well in the bowling innings.
“There is not much we can take out of the (second) game. We keep on working on our plans,” said Hondo.
Online Reporter