Pak vs Zim 3rd ODI: Asif shines as Pakistan win series

Offspinner Bilal Asif outlined his potential value to Pakistan ahead of upcoming games against England as his five-wicket haul clinched the third and decisive one-day international against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Monday.

Playing in just his second ODI, Asif decimated the Zimbabwe line-up with figures of 5 for 25 as the hosts were bowled out for 161, then scored 38 as Pakistan chased their target in 34 overs to win by seven wickets.

The 30-year-old was a late addition to Pakistan's ODI squad at the behest of Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who felt the offspinner could come in handy against England's slew of left-handers in a three-match series that starts on October 13.

Zimbabwe had made an impressive start after losing the toss and being asked to bat, with openers Chamu Chibhabha and Richmond Mutumbami putting on 89 for the first wicket at a steady pace.

But Asif broke the stand in his fifth over when he had Chibhabha caught and bowled for 48, and then went on to take four further wickets in his last three overs as Zimbabwe sank to 133 for seven.

"The wicket looked very good for batting and at one stage we were looking to keep them within 270, but Bilal Asif bowled exceptionally," said regular Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, who watched the match from the sidelines because of a foot infection.

"It was only his second game, but he bowled with great maturity. Before this series we had a plan that we wanted to test some new blood and it is very good sign that they have performed and played with confidence. We have achieved our goals from this series."

Imad Wasim also inflicted damage as he took 3 for 36 on his return to the side, and the only Zimbabwean wicket that did not fall to spin came with fast bowler Mohammad Irfan having Mutumbami caught behind for a career-best 67.

That meant that in the two games Pakistan won during the series, Zimbabwe lost 19 of 20 wickets to spin.

Asif rode his luck as Pakistan began their chase before lunch, enjoying a reprieve at slip from the fourth delivery he faced before taking the tourists into the interval on 29 without loss.

After lunch he became even more aggressive, but the approach caught up with him when he holed out to long-on off the bowling of John Nyumbu.

Asad Shafiq and Shoaib Malik finished off the job with an unbroken stand of 58, ending unbeaten on 38 and 34 respectively.

Scoreboard:

Zimbabwe

C. Chibhabha c and b Bilal Asif 48
R. Mutumbami c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Irfan 67
B. Chari lbw b Imad Wasim 4
S. Williams c and b Bilal Asif 5
E. Chigumbura b Bilal Asif 0
Sikandar Raza b Bilal Asif 2
T. Mutombodzi b Bilal Asif 4
M. Waller c Mohammad Hafeez b Imad Wasim 8
L. Jongwe not out 16
T. Panyangara lbw b Imad Wasim 0
J. Nyumbu c Mohammad Rizwan b Shoaib Malik 4
Extras (3w) 3
Total (all out, 38.5 overs) 161

Fall of wickets: 1-89 (Chibhabha), 2-100 (Chari), 3-111 (Williams), 4-111 (Chigumbura), 5-121 (Sikandar Raza), 6-127 (Mutombodzi), 7-133 (Mutumbami), 8-144 (Waller), 9-144 (Panyangara), 10-161 (Nyumbu).
Bowling: Mohammad Irfan 8-0-43-1, Aamer Yamin 6-0-29-0, Wahab Riaz 6-0-24-0, Imad Wasim 8-1-36-3, Bilal Asif 10-1-25-5, Shoaib Malik 0.5-0-4-1.

Pakistan

Ahmed Shehzad st Chari b Williams 32
Bilal Asif c Mutombodzi b Nyumbu 38
Mohammad Hafeez c Chari b Panyangara 13
Asad Shafiq not out 38
Shoaib Malik not out 34
Extras (2lb, 5w) 7
Total (3 wkts, 34 overs) 162

Fall of wickets: 1-58 (Bilal Asif), 2-74 (Mohammad Hafeez), 3-104 (Ahmed Shehzad).
Did not bat: Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan.
Bowling: Panyangara 7-0-22-1, Jongwe 7-0-42-0, Williams 10-1-29-1, Nyumbu 4-0-33-1, Mutombodzi 3-0-21-0, Waller 2-0-11-0, Sikandar Raza 1-0-2-0.
Toss: Pakistan
Umpires: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI) and Jeremiah Matibiri (ZIM)
TV umpire: Russell Tiffin (ZIM)
Match referee: David Jukes (ENG)
Result: Pakistan won by 7 wickets.
Series: Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1

Pakistan innings

Pakistan coasted to a seven wicket win over Zimbabwe in the third one-day international to take the series 2-1.

Chasing a target of 162, Pakistan made 162-3 in the 34th over.

Bilal Asif capped a fine display with the ball (5-25) by cracking 38 with six boundaries and a six.

Malik (34 not out) smashed five boundaries and a six and together with Shafiq (38 not out) steered Pakistan home with plenty to spare.

Malik is turning it on slamming a couple off boundaries off Mutombodzi. Pak 126-3, 28 overs.

Shehzad departs giving Williams the charge only to be stumped by a mile. Pak 104-3, 23.2 overs.

Ahmed Shehzad st Chari b Williams 32 (61b 2x4 0x6)

Shafiq cracks Williams through extra cover for a boundary. Pak 88-2, 20 overs.

Hafeez perishes gloving a delivery down the leg side. Pak 74-2, 16.3 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez c Chari b Panyangara 13 (16b 2x4 0x6)

Mutombodzi takes a brilliant catch in the deep to dismiss Bilal. Pak 58-1, 12.2 overs.

Bilal Asif c Mutombodzi b Nyumbu 38 (39b 6x4 1x6)

Asif slams a boundary and six off Nyumbu to step up the tempo after the lunch break. Pak 48-0, 11 overs.

Pakistan are 29-0 in 8 overs chasing 161 as lunch is taken.

Bilal is turning it on with bat in hand having hit three boundaries so far, including back-to-back shots to the fence of Jongwe. Pak 19-0, 4 overs.

Bilal gets a life being dropped at slip by Nyumbu in the second over.

Zimbabwe innings

Zimbabwe got a solid start with openers Chibhabha (48) and Mutumbami (67) putting on 89 runs but lost wickets at regular intervals collapsing for 161.

They lost nine wickets for the addition of just 72 runs with off spinner Bilal Asif claiming five for 25 and Wasim three for 36.

Rizwan takes a brilliant catch to dismiss Zimbabwe for 161 in 38.5 overs.

John Nyumbu c Rizwan b Shoaib Malik 4 (8b 0x4 0x6)

Double strike by Wasim as Zimbabwe keep falling like nine pins. Zim 144-9, 35.3 overs.

Tinashe Panyangara lbw b Imad Wasim 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

The Zimbabwe procession continues as Waller departs. Zim 144-8, 35.1 overs.

Malcolm Waller c Hafeez b Imad Wasim 8 (15b 1x4 0x6)

Irfan returns and gets the key wicket of Mutumbani edging behind attempting a cut shot. Zim 133-7, 32.5 overs.

Richmond Mutumbami c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Irfan 67 (85b 5x4 2x6)

Zimbabwe are crumbling in a heap to the wily off breaks of Bilal who has claimed his first five-for. Zim 127-6, 30.5 overs.

Tinotenda Mutombodzi b Bilal Asif 4 (9b 0x4 0x6)

Bilal has claimed his fourth wicket rattling the stumps of Raza who backs away.  Zim 121-5, 28.3 overs.

Sikandar Raza b Bilal Asif 2 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Mutumbami is continuing his attack unfazed by the loss of wickets slog sweeping Wasim for his second six. Zim 119-4, 28 overs.

Double strike by Bilal and takes the prized wicket of Chigumbura who chops onto his stumps. Zim 111-4, 26.5 overs.

Elton Chigumbura b Bilal Asif 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Another soft dismissal as Williams playing across to Bilal gives a return catch to the bowler. Zim 111-3, 26.3 overs.

Sean Williams c & b Bilal Asif 5 (6b 1x4 0x6)

Mutumbami completes his second ODI half century with a single. Zim 110-2, 26 overs.

Williams gets going by slamming a boundary off Bilal as Zimbabwe reach 107-2 at the halfway stage.

Wasim strikes with his first delivery trapping the new batsman Chari leg before. Zim 100-2, 23.1 overs.

Brian Chari lbw b Imad Wasim 4 (8b 0x4 0x6)

Bilal gets the breakthrough as Chibhabhu hits straight back to the bowler. Zim 89-1, 20.3 overs.

Chamu Chibhabha c & b Bilal Asif 48 (76b 5x4 0x6)

Mutumbami is showing aggressive intent cliping Irfan past wicket for a boundary. Zim 63-0, 15 overs.

Mutumbami slams Wasim over long-on for the first six of the match and is dropped by Riaz two balls later. Zim 47-0, 10 overs.

Chibhabha punches the third delivery from Irfan down the ground for the first boundary of the morning. Zim 4-0, 1 over.

Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bowl first in the decisive one-day international against Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe have made a couple of changes with Hamilton Masakadza making way for Malcolm Waller while  Tino Mutombodzi replaces the injured Graeme Cremer.

Pakistan T20 captain Azhar Ali is injured and Sarfraz Ahmed is leading Pakistan with Bilal Asif coming in.

Imad Wasim is also back replacing Yasir Shah.

Teams

Zimbabwe: CJ Chibhabha, CT Mutombodzi, BB Chari, SC Williams, E Chigumbura, Sikandar Raza, MN Waller, R Mutumbami, LM Jongwe, T Panyangara, J Nyumbu

Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan

Preview

Zimbabwe are eyeing a historic series win against Pakistan after winning the second one-day international in controversial circumstances at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

Rain and then bad light put stalled Pakistan's remarkable chase of 277 after having slumped to 76-6 as Zimbabwe won by five run on the D/L method to register their first win against Pakistan in over two years.

It was a decision that left Pakistan in dismay and Shoaib Malik furious.

“I think the game was in our favour,” said Malik, who was left stranded on 96 not out after orchestrating Pakistan’s recovery from 76-6 to 256-8 and needing 21 runs off two overs for victory.

“Obviously there are certain ICC rules and we have to follow them. I think overall it was a great game, but at the end of the day it’s a little bit disappointing the way it ended," he added.

Malik batted for almost 42 overs and kept Pakistan in the hunt by adding 111 runs for the seventh wicket with Aamer Yamin, who struck a maiden ODI fifty, and an unbroken 63 for the ninth wicket with Yasir Shah.

Malik also gave credit to the Zimbabweans for the way they played.

"We started off well bowling as a unit, but obviously we must also give credit to the Zimbabwean batsmen, especially (Chamu) Chibhabha and (Elton) Chigumbura. Especially Chigumbura and the way he batted at the end," he added.

Having squared the series, the hosts will enter the third and final match on Monday seeking a historic bilateral ODI series win.

However, it won’t be easy going at all for Zimbabwe as Azhar Ali’s men, seething after the controversial loss, will look to hit back hard.

Pakistan remain favourites to win the series, having already taken both Twenty20 matches between the two sides.

Their bowling made the difference in the first ODI - which they won by 131 runs - thanks to a spin masterclass by Yasir Shah.

Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura warned his side against complacency in the final game of the series.

“In the game of cricket, you can’t relax until the very last ball,” Chigumbura said who was one of two half centurions on Saturday. “There was a lot of pressure on the team and the players showed good character. We hope to do well on Monday and win the series.”

Teams (from):

Pakistan: Azhar Ali (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Rizwan, Immad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Asad Shafiq, Bilal Asif.

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Sikandar Raza Butt, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Richmond Mutumbami (wicket-keeper), Taurai Muzarabani, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara, Prosper Utseya, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams.

Umpires: Russell Tiffin (Zimbabwe) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka).

TV umpire:Jeremiah Matibiri (Zimbabwe).

Match referee: David Jukes (England).

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