Pakistan 303 for 6 (Ghulam 103, Shafique 50, Raza 2-47) won Zimbabwe 204 (Ervine 51, Bennett 37, Ayub 2-29) by 99 runs
Although rain was forecast for today, the sky was clear when Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat. While they did not advance at the breakneck pace they had set on Tuesday, Saim Ayub and Shafique got Pakistan off to a good start, taking the partnership to 50 in 11 overs. But Ayub fell soon after missing his signature shot when he lifted Faisal Akram over backward square leg, straight to Clive Madande at the boundary.
Ghulam was unsure from the start and almost hit a straight shot back to Sean Williams in his eighth ball. However, when Williams dragged one to the next, Ghulam hit him at deep mid-wicket for six, and that seemed to free him up. Along with Shafique, he helped Pakistan advance at a steady, if unspectacular pace, and the 100 came in 22 overs. However, Sikandar Raza broke that stand soon after, trapping Shafique in front as he made a mistake in his sweep, just after reaching his half-century.
Rizwan and Ghulam combined to form the biggest partnership of the innings, but even as batting conditions stabilized, the anticipated rise in scoring rate did not occur. Rizwan, in particular, slipped to a strike rate of just over 50 in his first 25 balls, leaving Ghulam to carry on. He took a liking to Brian Bennett, forcing him to abandon the attack after taking 27 from his two overs. Zimbabwe dominated the visitors again with Williams and Akram before Raza got his team ahead. Rizwan had lifted it for six long on due to an error, and when he tried again on the next delivery, Dion Myers took a simple catch.
Ghulam, at this point, was advancing to three figures. Akram was sent to successive boundaries before a long hop from Raza was left on middle to raise the ton. Zimbabwe were finally threatening to accelerate but Richard Ngarava removed Ghulam immediately afterwards in an attempt to win them back.
It was in the 46th over when the wheels finally went out of control for Zimbabwe. The Akram over saw six wides, a no-ball, two fours and a six as 23 came out, and Pakistan suddenly looked at 300. Even Blessing Muzarabani was not spared, taken for 24 in his last two overs as Pakistan trudged ahead. . 300, taking all the momentum until the break.
Pakistan had to wait until the third over to attack, and did so twice in Ayub’s over. Joylord Gumbie and Myers holed out in an attempt to keep the running speed high, and it was an approach that Zimbabwe persisted in even as wickets fell at regular intervals.
Tadiwanashe Marumani didn’t last long, but he was belligerent while he did it, and was unlucky to lose leg before Abrar Ahmed with the ball probably falling down leg. Sean Williams briefly took over the run-scoring baton, taking the attack to Agha Salman and Abrar after the end of the first powerplay, while Ervine slapped Haris Rauf for a pair of boundaries in what emerged as a threatening partnership for Pakistan.
But, like any partnership with Zimbabwe, it ended too soon to allow them to exert any real pressure. Williams was beaten by Haris’ extra pace as he advanced, and that would mark the beginning of Zimbabwe’s downfall.
The biggest scare Pakistan suffered was the sudden convergence of clouds before the 20th over was bowled, but on the field, wickets were beginning to fall in clumps. Zimbabwe were still improving their boundaries almost everywhere, with Ervine celebrating his half-century with a missed sweep off Faisal Akram.
But the end was near for him. He was reprieved when Tayyab Tahir squandered the simplest chance at midwicket, but Aamer Jamal was not denied, prompting him to delay a short delivery later in the over. He backed it up by dismissing Raza in his next over, Zimbabwe seemed to be taking a big defeat.
Those blushes were somewhat saved by an entertaining attack from Bennett, who took on the spinners in great succession in an exciting cameo that kept the Bulawayo faithful entertained. However, it did not last long, and when he failed out to Abrar Ahmed after a 27-ball 37, any realistic hope the hosts harbored vanished.
Clive Madande and Ngarava held on a bit and ensured that Zimbabwe surpassed 200 and kept the defeat in double figures. But Pakistan would not be denied a resounding victory, Faisal Akram and Rauf took the last two balls in a row either side of the 40th over to make the victory official.
Danyal Rasool is Pakistan correspondent for Pak Gazette. @danny61000
