ZIMBABWE cricket team put up an assured all-round display before a late collapse with the bat saw the locals losing to Pakistan by 26 runs in the opening match of the One Day International (ODI) series played in Rawalpindi.
After losing the toss, Chevrons captain Chamu Chibhabha and his charges were asked to field first and for the first time in as many years, the fielding was up to a spectacular standard.
Returning seamer Blessing Muzarabani picked two wickets for 39 runs in his nine-over spell so did spinner Tendai Chisoro who grabbed two for 31 runs in five years while Carl Mumba and Sikandar Raza weighed in with a wicket apiece. Pakistan buoyed by top-order half-centuries from opener Imam-ul-Haq (58) and Haris Sohail (71) totalled 281 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted overs. The busiest Zimbabwean fielder on the park being wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor who held on to three catches behind the stumps. Taylor was also involved in the runout of Wahab Riaz together with compatriots Chibhabha and Richard Ngarava.
Zimbabwe’s chase got off to a disastrous start as opening batsman Brian Chari was clean bowled by Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi for two runs on the third ball of the innings. Skipper Chibhabha followed in the fifth over for a 13-ball 13 runs in similar Chari fashion- clean bowled by Afridi to leave the visitors badly exposed on 28-2. Craig Ervine put up a 71-run partnership for the third wicket with Taylor before the left-hander was caught by Haris Rauf off the Imad Wasim’s bowling. Taylor however, took charge of the match with some terrific hits getting boundaries when he needed to and as well as rotating the strike with evergreen newbie Wesley Madhevere. The former U19 starlet scored his second ODI century in only his fifth match before he was bowled out by Riaz for 55 runs from 61 balls. Taylor then perished for 112 runs in the 47th over, caught by Riaz off the bowling of Afridi to leave Zimbabwe on 240-6 and needing 43 runs to win the match.
Raza (8), Mumba (1), Chisoro (5), Muzarabani (5) proffered no resistance as Afridi claimed his five-for wiping out Zimbabwe’s tail.
If only the end was as good as the beginning then Zimbabwe would have done themselves a huge favour of winning the opening ODI.
