Pakistan will make a few alterations to their squad after the T-20 series ahead of the ODI series, but Zimbabwe has named a 16-men squad that will participate in the two versions. Yet the gloom which has enveloped them seems to have more than just batting failures at its root.
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Shoaib Malik also chipped in with his offspin, bagging three wickets as the Zimbabwean innings ended in the 37th over. A couple of lucky boundaries here and there, and they might have taken the T20 series 2-0. “They are using these conditions better than us, especially with their spinners”, he admitted.
Pakistan will want more from their batsmen, but Zimbabwe need a miraculous conversion from theirs.
Zimbabwe had no answer to Pakistan’s spinners as the Asian side’s slow bowlers accounted for all the wickets to fall in the home team’s innings.
Pakistan T20 Captain Shahid Afridi, who led his team to a pair of convincing victories in the T20 series, will not be called up for the ODI series.
Zimbabwe had gained the upper hand in the morning by winning the toss and reducing Pakistan to 128 for 5, before Rizwan and Wasim helped the visitor consolidate.
Zimbabwe’s convener of selectors Kenyon Ziehl has admitted that underperforming players can’t be carried by the team forever, but Zimbabwe will be wary of making any rash changes.
Elton Chigumbura (capt), Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer, Tinashe Panyangara, Christopher Mpofu, Prosper Utseya, Taurai Muzarabani, Luke Jongwe, John Nyumbu, Malcolm Waller.
Azhar Ali, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Aamer Yamin, Babar Azam, Bilal Asif, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Irfan, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah, Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez.
“I can repeat what I said after the last game”.
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“We were supposed to chase and get that 137 for a win despite how well they (Pakistan) bowled, we were supposed to get that”. Zimbabwe have now lost to Pakistan eight times by a margin of 100 plus runs which is coincidently equal to the number of 100 plus 6th wicket partnership Pakistan have made in an ODI match.
