Zimbabwe’s Chevrons fall short as Pakistan clinch ODI series

Agencies 

• Pakistan – 303-6 in 50 overs (Kamran Ghulam 103, Abdullah Shafique 50, Mohammad Rizwan 37; Sikandar Raza 2/47, Richard Ngarava 2/55, Faraz Akram 1/63)

• Zimbabwe – 204 all out in 40.1 overs (Craig Ervine 51, Brian Bennett 37, Sean Williams 24; Aamer Jamal 2/19, Saim Ayub 2/29, Haris Rauf 2/34)

PAKISTAN sealed the three-match one-day international series against Zimbabwe with a commanding 99-run victory at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo Thursday.

Despite a valiant 51 from Craig Ervine, the hosts faltered in their chase of 304, folding for 204 in the 41st over.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, Pakistan’s innings was anchored by Kamran Ghulam’s maiden ODI century and a solid half-century from Abdullah Shafique.

Openers Saim Ayub and Shafique set the tone early, putting on 58 runs before Ayub (31) fell to a sharp catch on the square-leg boundary off Faraz Akram’s bowling.

Shafique, who scored 50 off 68, anchored the innings until his dismissal at 112, leg-before to Sikandar Raza.

The real acceleration began with Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan’s 89-run partnership for the third wicket.

Rizwan contributed 37 before falling to Raza in the 40th over.

Ghulam’s brilliant 103 off 99 balls, featuring 10 fours and four sixes, pushed Pakistan past the 300-run mark, with the final 10 overs yielding nearly 100 runs.

Raza, with two wickets for 47 runs, and Richard Ngarava, two for 55, were Zimbabwe’s standout bowlers.

Facing a formidable target of 304, Zimbabwe’s innings began poorly.

In the third over, Ayub claimed the wickets of Joylord Gumbie (5) and Dion Myers (4) in quick succession, reducing the hosts to 10 for two.

Ervine then steadied the innings with a gritty 51 off 63 balls, supported briefly by Tadiwanashe Marumani and Sean Williams, both contributing 24.

Ervine’s dismissal at 123 in the 26th over, dragging a delivery from Aamer Jamal onto his stumps, marked a turning point.

At 130 for six, with Raza dismissed for 16, Zimbabwe’s hopes dimmed.

Brian Bennett provided a late spark with an aggressive 37 off 27 balls, but his efforts, along with Clive Madande’s 20, were insufficient.

Pakistan secured the series by two victories to one after Zimbabwe won the opening match on Sunday.