Pakistan 61 for 0 (Ayub 36*, Yousuf 22*) won Zimbabwe 57 (Muqeem 5-3, Afridi 2-2) for ten wickets
Zimbabwe starts well, before collapsing
Even Haris Rauf’s introduction didn’t stop the bleeding, Bennett showed his deft skills and hit two boundaries behind point at the off end. At the end of the fourth over, Zimbabwe were 37 for 0.
But what happened next was as dramatic as it was ignominious for Zimbabwe.
When Salman Agha came alive, he had Dion Myers in front on just his fourth delivery before Muqeem took control. Using the conventional wrist spinner and the incorrect one, he managed to tie up Zimbabwe’s lower-middle order. Ryan Burl was deceived by a googly that hit his pad in front of middle, while Tashinga Musekiwa had no answer for another error that knocked his stumps down for a golden duck. Clive Madande survived the hat-trick but Muqeem came back to remove another two in his next over and finally ended the innings when Madande edged him. He finished with figures of 2.4-0-3-5.
Easy chase, easily done by Pakistan
There was nothing complicated about the pursuit of Pakistan, and the former knew it.
Ayub was not far behind, and there was enough time for his signature shot – a whip to Trevor Gwandu from the pads behind square leg for six. It was Muzarabani’s errant line once again that allowed Ayub to get two more boundaries that ended the game.
It was telling of how little Zimbabwe had tested Pakistan that, on a scorching hot day in Bulawayo, when the openers took off their helmets and shook hands, there was barely a drop of sweat on their brows.
