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28 March 2024

Rain denies Pakistan chance of Zimbabwe whitewash

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies
 

The third and final day-night international between Pakistan and Zimbabwe ended as a no result in Lahore on Sunday after play was ended by a sandstorm followed by rain.

Zimbabwe, chasing a target of 297 to win, were 60-0 before a power failure in a floodlight tower and a heavy sandstorm forced the players to walk off the field at Gaddafi Stadium.

The teams came back for one over during which Zimbabwe, chasing a revised target of 281 in 46 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis formula, added eight more runs without losing a wicket.

A heavy downpour then forced the players off once more before the umpires called off the match as rain continued to fall.

Pakistan took the three-match series 2-0 having won the first game by 41 runs and the second by six wickets - both in Lahore.

Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali regretted rain spoiled the whitewash chance.

"You can't control rain but it would have ben nice had we won this match," said Ali. "We were some 20-30 runs short but still it was a decent total and we could have won."

Zimbabwe's stand-in captain Hamilton Masakadza believed his team was in a good position when rain came.

"We were in a good position to win," said Masakadza. "Our bowlers did well to restrict them and we got a very good start but it was unfortunate that we didn't have a complete game."

Revised

The third and final one-day international between Pakistan and Zimbabwe ended in no result due to rain on Sunday as the home team clinched the series 2-0.

Zimbabwe's target was revised to 281 in 46 overs on the Duckworth/Lewis method after a dust storm and power failure stopped play for 52 minutes.

But heavy rain arrived after only one over when play resumed and it didn't subside before umpires called off the match with Zimbabwe cruising at 68-0 in nine overs.

Chamu Chibhabha, who replaced suspended regular captain Elton Chigumbura for the last two matches and missed his maiden ODI century by one run in the second match, was unbeaten on 39 off 27 balls while Vusi Sibanda was not out on 28.

Earlier, after Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, opener Hafeez made a run-a-ball 80 and 20-year-old newcomer Babar Azam scored 54 in his first ODI before Anwar Ali smashed 38 off 23 balls to give Pakistan hopes of a 3-0 sweep.

Offspinner Sikandar Raza picked up 3-59 and also broke the opening wicket stand of 115 when he ran out captain Azhar Ali (46 off 59 balls) off a direct throw and then trapped top-scorer Hafeez lbw off his first delivery.

Azam made a defiant half century off 60 balls with four boundaries before he missed a full toss and was bowled by Christopher Mpofu in the 47th over.

Anwar Ali lifted the total by entertaining another capacity crowd of 27,000 at Gaddafi Stadium with two sixes and two fours.

Ali, who scored 79 and 102 in Pakistan's two previous victories, was shaping up well for another big knock but while attempting a quick single he couldn't beat Raza's throw from short cover.

Pakistan's middle order stuttered against Raza, who bowled all his 10 overs around the wicket and continuously challenged the batsmen.

Hafeez missed a flick off a straight delivery and departed after hitting eight fours and a six while Asad Shafiq (16) and Sarfraz Ahmed (25) fell cheaply to some smart catching close to the wicket.

Shoaib Malik scored a century in his comeback ODI after three years in the first match, but was run out for just seven to a brilliant piece of fielding by Mpofu at square leg before Pakistan lower order batsmen added 86 runs in the last 10 overs.

Authorities beefed up security around the Gaddafi Stadium for Zimbabwe's last tour match after a government minister said a suicide bomber blew himself up on Friday night close to the stadium during the second one-day international.

Zimbabwe, which became the first test nation to tour Pakistan in six years due to security concerns, remained winless on its 13-day tour.

Zimbabwe lost the Twenty20 series 2-0 before Pakistan knocked them off by 41 runs and six wickets in the two ODIs.

The third and final one-day international between Pakistan and Zimbabwe ended as a no result after rain halted play at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Pakistan took the series 2-0.

A heavy duststorm and a power failure stopped play in the third and final day-night international match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Zimbabwe were 62-0 after eight overs as chase a target of 297 set by Pakistan, who won the toss and decided to bat.

Pakistan leads the three-match series 2-0 after winning the first two matches by 41 runs and six wickets respectively.

Pakistan made 296-9 with 80 from Mohammad Hafeez and 54 from debutant Babar Azam.

Rain

Rain halts play with Zimbabwe 62-0 after 9 overs when play resumed after a stoppage for dust storm and the target was revised to 281 from 46 overs.

Play has been suspended due to floodlights failure with Zimbabwe 62-0 after 8 overs.

Chibhabha hits the first boundary of the innings as Zimbabwe begin chasing target of 297. Pak 15-0, 2 overs.

Pakistan innings


Pakistan rattled up 296-9 thanks to a 23-ball unbeaten cameo of 37 from Anwar Ali.

Electing to bat first, Pakistan were given a solid start by openers Hafeez (80) and Ali (46) who posted 115 in 20 overs before slumping to 196-5.

Debutan Babar Azam weighed in with a maident ODI half century to steady the middle order.

Raza claimed three for 59.

Another soft dismissal. Safraz is caught. Pakistan are in a bit of a trouble.  Pak 196-5, 37.4 overs.

Sarfraz Ahmed c Williams b Sikandar Raza 25 (23b 3x4 0x6)


Pakistan are in trouble as the in-form Malik goes cheaply.  Pak 159-4, 31.5 overs.

Shoaib Malik run out 3 (7b 0x4 0x6)

Double strike by Raza dismissing Shafiq. Pak 151-3, 29.4 overs.

Asad Shafiq c Williams b Sikandar Raza 16 (25b 1x4 0x6) 


Hafeez is struck by a full delivery by Raza. Hafeez is not happy with the umpire's decision. He heads to the pavilion with a dissapointed look. Pak 134-2, 25.1 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Sikandar Raza 80 (80b 8x4 1x6)

Zimbabwe get a breakthrough with Azhar being run out by direct hit. Pak 115-3, 19.5 overs.

Azhar Ali run out 46 (59b 4x4 1x6)

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first in the third one-day international.

Series win

Azhar Ali hit a solid hundred to help Pakistan win their first one-day series in 17 months with a thumping six-wicket win in the second day-night international against Zimbabwe in Lahore on Friday.

Ali scored a 104-ball 102 for his second one-day century to help Pakistan chase down a target of 269 in 47.2 overs at Gaddafi Stadium for a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
 
"It was a complete team effort," said Ali, who became the first Pakistan captain to score a hundred in a successful run chase.

"This is a good win but we have a long way to go as a team."

For Zimbabwe Pakistan-born Sikander Raza smashed an 84-ball 100 not out with eight fours and three sixes while Chamu Chibhabha's career-best 99 had 11 fours and a six which lifted the score to 268-7.

Zimbabwe stand-in captain Hamilton Masakadza said his team was 20-30 runs short.

"The guys tried hard with Raza and Chibhabha coming good but we were 20-30 runs short," said Masakadza whose team has now lost 12 of their last 13 one-day games.

Pakistan won the first match by 41 runs in Lahore. The third and final match will also be played at the same venue on Sunday.

The one-day win followed Pakistan's 2-0 win in the preceding Twenty20 matches in the series which marked the return of international cricket in the country after a six-year gap.

Pakistan's last one-day series win was against Sri Lanka in United Arab Emirates in December 2013.