Chamu Chibhabha’s triple-strike rocked Pakistan’s top order and left the tourists to scramble to a mediocre total in the first of two Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
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Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Leading scorers from Pakistan side were Shoiab Malik and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizman, who scored 35 and 33* notout respectively.
Pakistan is touring Zimbabwe for a short tour and will play two t20 worldwide games and a three-ODI series.
Wasim’s all-round contributions included two run-outs, but it was his bowling which was most eye-catching.
Elton Chigumbura’s Zimbabwe were comprehensively beaten by 80 runs in their previous T20I fixture against New Zealand at home but they can take heart from their surprising ten-run victory in the second T20I against India, earlier in July. “I tried to bowl wicket-to-wicket and the basics paid off”.
“We took the wrong options at the wrong time, and as a result we lost the game”, said Chigumbura after the game.
Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi said that they would not take Zimbabwe lightly.
That would be the story for Zimbabwe for the rest of the match as the batsman got themselves in, only for them to gist their wickets away at crucial periods of the match.
4-11 Imad Waseem’s figures in today’s match- his personal best in 3 matches he played so far, and joint 4th best for a Pakistani bowler sharing it with Shahid Afridi’s 4-11 vs Netherlands in World Cup T20 2009.
Earlier, Pakistan were kept in check by some disciplined bowling and were reduced to 29 for three before Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal combined in a stand of 42 to give them something of a score to defend.
While Pakistan will look at prolonging their unbeaten run in the format against Zimbabwe, the hosts will bank on the experience of their senior players to turn the tide.
Left arm pacers Wahab Riaz and Muhammad Irfan returned to the Pakistan squad for the Zimbabwe tour after weeks of rehabilitation after they suffered fitness issues after the World Cup.
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ZIMBABWE SQUAD: Elton Chigumbura (capt), Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara, Sikandar Raza, Prosper Utseya, Malcolm Waller and Sean Williams.
