Pakistan . . . .244/7 (50 ov) Zimbabwe . . . 246/3 (48.2 ov) Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets (with 10 balls remaining) ZIMBABWE ended 15 years of disappointment as they posted their first victory over Pakistan since 1998 with a shock seven-wicket victory at Harare Sports Club yesterday to take a surprise 1-0 lead in the three-match one-day cricket series.
REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Zimbabwe needed half-centuries from openers Hamilton Masakadza (84) and Vusi Sibanda (54), an unbeaten 43 from skipper Brendan Taylor and a quick-fire 39 off 23 runs from Sean Williams as they finished on 246 for three in 48,2 overs.
The famous victory was also coach Andy Waller’s first win since taking charge of the national side.
Unlike the victory at the Sheikhupura Stadium in November 1998 when Zimbabwe chased down a modest 211 runs for victory fashioned by Heath Streak and Neil Johnson, yesterday’s famous win was achieved in style as the home side comfortably chased down what had looked like a competitive 244 runs.
After Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss, he elected to bat before hitting an unbeaten 83, and it looked as if Zimbabwe had no chance of causing an upset in this match.
Misbah shared a 99-run stand for the third wicket with Mohammad Hafeez, who made 70 as they held Pakistan’s innings together after a middle order collapse.
In fact, Zimbabwe would have been the more disappointed of the two teams going to bat as they had put down at least five catches to allow Pakistan to post a competitive total.
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Zimbabwe’s fielding was disappointing as both Nasir Jamshed (27) and Ahmed Shehzad (24) were put down during an opening partnership of 56, while Hafeez was let off on 10 and 55.
Misbah required no such luck in a well-paced knock that saw him get to 50 in 62 balls.
After the dropped catches, Pakistan could have gone on to post a mammoth total, but the Zimbabwe seamers came back strongly with some tight bowling towards the end.
Tendai Chatara took two wickets for 32 in his 10 overs, while Brian Vitori also took two wickets for 42 runs in as many overs.
After consecutive losses in the two-match T20 series, Zimbabwe needed their batsmen to come to the party and they did just that courtesy of a good start by openers Masakadza and Sibanda.
The duo had scored consecutive half-century partnerships in the T20s, albeit in a losing cause, but yesterday they doubled their efforts to ensure Zimbabwe started on a positive note with a 107-run opening stand for the first wicket.
Mystery spinner Sayeed Ajmal would, however, get the breakthrough after trapping Sibanda in front for 54 runs in the 24th over.
After the dismissal of Sibanda, the hosts badly needed Masakadza to bat through to have a chance of chasing down Pakistan’s modest total, but he perished for 85 runs after directing Ajmal’s short of a length delivery to Misbah at short covering the 38th over.
Masakadza, who hit three fours and two sixes, shared a 69-run stand with Taylor before his dismissal.
Instead of sending in Williams or big-hitting Elton Chigumbura, Zimbabwe surprisingly called in a jittery Timycen Maruma, who struggled to rotate the strike and it looked as if Zimbabwe would falter.
Ironically, the local fans celebrated his dismissal when his leading edge fell into the hands of Ahmed Shehzad at point as they felt he was scoring at a very slow pace and putting too much pressure on Taylor.
The entry of a confident Williams restored hope for Zimbabwe as he managed to rotate the scoring easily, while also finding the boundary at a regular pace on his way to sharing an unbeaten 45-run stand with Taylor.
Then the stylish left-handed Williams sent the fans into a frenzy as he finished off the match in style with a well-struck six towards midwicket in the 49th over.
What made yesterday’s victory for Zimbabwe was the never-die spirit, which for long had looked absent from this current crop of players.
Masakadza, who was named the man-of-the-match, said afterwards: “I knew that the wicket was going to get better in the afternoon. The pitch was better to bat on after the first 10 overs and we just wanted to start well and build a partnership. We were just one down when Taylor came out so there weren’t really any nerves at that time.”
Zimbabwe will have a chance to seal the series with a match to spare during the second one-dayer at the same venue tomorrow.
