Pakistan sneak home v Zimbabwe

Following on from their semifinal exit at the Champions Trophy a week and a half ago, Pakistan struggled to an eventual win over Zimbabwe in the second game of Paktel Cup. A 114-run fifth wicket partnership was needed between Shoaib Malik (80) and Younis Khan (77) to get things back on track as Pakistan chased 253 for a 3-wicket win.

Winning the toss, stand-in captain Yousuf Youhana elected that Pakistan field first at Peshawar. With Shoaib Akhtar resting, Mohammad Sami and Iftikhar Anjum opened the bowling. Zimbabwe got off to a good start, as Matsikenyeri (41) and Taylor (73) added 87 for the first wicket. Matsikenyeri was first out, caught by Sami off Afridi's legspin, then Sibanda (0) was run out the first ball of the following over without facing a ball.

From 87/2 a partnership of 71 was staged and Brendon Taylor reached his half-century from 87 balls. Ebrahim too got a half-century (72 balls) and batted for an unbeaten 71 off 85 balls in Zimbabwe's innings total of 252/4. With him at the end was Zimbabwe captain, Tatenda Taibu, who scored 46 from 33 balls including a boundary and 3 sixes. Of the Pakistani bowlers, Naved-ul-Hasan (2/82) was the highest wicket-taker, but also by far the most harshly treated.

Pakistan started poorly in their chase, losing Yasir Hameed (0) and Bazid Khan (0) within 25/2. Malik then joined Salman Butt, but the incumbent was Panyangara's third victim at 48/3. Filling in for Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq contributed 23 and then was caught behind off Douglas Hondo's medium pace. At 89/4 Pakistan looked in serious difficulty, but it was then that Malik and Khan combined for their century stand off 128 balls.

Upon Malik's departure Youhana (14) came and went at 240/6, but Shahid Afridi rushed the close with 14 not out from 6 balls. Afridi struck two sixes, one of which scored the winning runs after Younis Khan was run out with the scores level. Pakistan won by 3 wickets with 11 balls to spare.

Seamer Panyangara was the pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers - 9-1-28-3 - and Douglas Hondo (2/61) also contributed in the wickets column.

Match Summary:

Zimbabwe innings 252/4 (50 overs)
(BRM Taylor 73 [122], DD Ebrahim 71 not out [85], T Taibu 46 not out [33])
(Naved-ul-Hasan 2/82 [10])

Pakistan innings 258/7 (48.1 overs)
(Shoaib Malik 80 [104], Younis Khan 77 [86])
(T Panyangara 3/28 [9], DT Hondo 2/61 [10])

Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets
Points: Pak 5, Zim 1
Man of the Match: Younis Khan (Pak)

Posted by Liam