MANY records were broken at the Queens Sports Club yesterday as Zimbabwe took on Pakistan in the fourth one-day international (ODI) cricket series, but sadly, the home side was at the receiving end with the tourists helping themselves to new landmarks against a battered and bruised side lacking any conviction and self-belief.
BY KEVIN MAPASURE IN BULAWAYO
This is one series the home side wants to get over with as quickly as possible, as Pakistan continue to sink them deeper into the abyss match after match.
Yesterday, it was a 244-run defeat. Before that, they suffered two nine-wicket defeats one after the other, having started off with a 201 run loss.
Each time one thinks it couldn’t get worse, Pakistan always up the ante, or rather, Zimbabwe find ways of making their previous performance a descent one.
Pakistan see this as a good opportunity to get themselves into the record books, facing a depleted Zimbabwe side that looks rugged, and yesterday, a number of records were set by the tourists.
Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq put on a new first wicket record of 304 runs.
Their partnership is also the highest partnership for any wicket for Pakistan, superceding the 263 runs by Inzamam-ul-Haq and Aamer Sohail against New Zealand way back in 1994.
Zaman and Imam became only the fourth pair across teams to put 300 runs for any wicket in ODIs.
Zaman became the first Pakistan player to score a double-century in ODIs and the sixth overall. The previous highest score for Pakistan was Saeed Anwar’s 194, against India in 1997.
His innings consisted of 24 fours and five sixes. Pakistan’s total of 399 is their highest team score in ODIs, going past the 385 runs they scored against Bangladesh in June 2010. This is only the fifth instance of any team, putting together a total in excess of 300, while losing only one wicket. There were a number of others smaller records that Pakistan helped themselves to as well.
For Zimbabwe, nothing went well from them, starting by losing the toss to field first and boy, the tourists batted.
Zimbabwe’s only success with the ball came through Wellington Masakadza, who had Imam-Ul-Haq caught by Tarisai Musakanda for 113 which came off 122 balls. Asif Ali helped himself to a quick unbeaten half century that consumed just 22 balls. Four Zimbabwe bowlers bowled 10 overs each and their pitiful numbers read; Brian Muzarabani 0/77, Donald Tiripano 0/85, Tendai Chisoro 0/56 and Wellington Masakadza 1/78.
Richard Ngarava bowled seven overs that were at the expense of 65 runs, while skipper Hamilton Masakadza was beaten for 29 in his three overs spell.
When Zimbabwe came out to bat, it was about seeing to what extent they would go in their bid to limit this damage.
They folded for 155 runs in 42.4 overs. Hamilton Masakadza had climbed up the ladder from number three to open the
batting after Chamu Chibhabha and Prince Masvaure had been dropped.
Masakadza hit 22 runs from 24 balls after losing his fellow opener Kamunhukamwe early, while Musakanda (10), Ryan Murray (5) and Peter Moor (20) didn’t really trouble the tourist bowlers.
Elton Chigumbura came in with a lot of pressure to prove himself and having worked hard to face 69 balls, he was trapped leg before by Faheem Ashraf for 37.
Donald Tiripano was the highest run scorer for Zimbabwe with 44 runs. Shadad Khan took four wickets, while Usman Khan and Faheem Ashraf had two each, with Junaid Khan and Shoaib Malik claiming one scalp apiece.
The two teams square off for the fifth and final match at the same venue tomorrow.
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