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| 04 October 2004 | Monday | 18 Shaban 1425 |
Pakistan squeeze home after hiccups
PESHAWAR, Oct 3: Pakistan were let down by their top order yet again but fortunately recovered, as they did in Multan three days ago, to squeeze home by three wickets against Zimbabwe in the tri-series one-day match at the Arbab Niaz Stadium on Sunday.
After the tourists, spurred by half-centuries from Brendon Taylor and Dion Ebrahim, had put on a fighting total of 252 for four off their 50 overs, Pakistan overcame their usual early hiccups to achieve victory with 11 balls to spare, finishing on 258 for seven.
The win put Pakistan within smelling distance of the Oct 16 final of the competition that also involves Sri Lanka whom they play next on Wednesday in Karachi. Going into the match, without regular captain Inzamamul Haq, wicket-keeper Moin Khan, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and paceman Shoaib Akhtar, it was still expected to be an easy day out for the Pakistanis.
But all such notions were tossed away by paceman Tinashe Panyangara who inflicted three telling blows at the top of the order dismissing local hero Yasir Hameed and Bazid Khan for nought and then sending Salman Butt (30) back with the home side just 48 in the 9th over.
However, Shoaib Malik, and Younis Khan, took control after Pakistan had been reduced to 89 for four in the 20th over sharing a 114-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Shoaib, dropped at 10 by Mark Vermeulen off Panyangara in the 11th over, scored 80, the sixth half-century of his career. He stroked four boundaries and a six before Mluleki Nkala winged in to claim his wicket with Stuart Matsikenyeri taking a brilliant diving catch in the deep.
By then Pakistan were well on their way in the 42nd over, needing exactly 50 runs. However stand-in captain Yousuf Youhana's dismissal for 14 delayed the victory a bit and it was then left to Shahid Afridi to finish off the match with a towering six, the second of his 16-run knock.
Younis, who also did the keeping job in the match, scored 77 and was run out late in the innings. He hammered four fours and a six, his elegant knock earning him the Man-of-the-Match award.
Pakistan, though, were victims of a wrong decision by umpire Asad Rauf, who ruled Bazid, son of former Test captain Majid Khan, leg before although television replays showed that Panyangara's delivery had hit him high on the thigh.
It was the 12th straight defeat for the inexperienced Zimbabweans who now head for Rawalpindi to face off Sri Lanka on Oct 9 and 11. Earlier, the Pakistan attack struggled on a wicket not helping the seamers much as openers Matsikenyeri and Taylor provided a solid start to their side.
The two put on 87 runs for the first wicket before Matsikenyeri lofted one to Mohammad Sami at long on from an Afridi delivery in the 22nd over to give Pakistan the much-needed breakthrough.
Matsikenyeri hit six boundaries and faced 65 balls in scoring 41 and just as he left, Vusi Sibanda was dismissed too by Afridi, who ran him out following a mix-up with Taylor off the first ball of the 23rd over bowled by Malik. But Taylor shared a 72-run third wicket stand with Dion Ebrahim before the opener fell to paceman Rana Naveedul Hasan, who had him caught by Youhana for 73. With Zimbabwe 159 for three at the start of the 40th over, the tourists lost Vermeulen for one in the same over, Rana Naveed claiming his second scalp.
But those wickets were of little significance as the bowler gave away 82 runs in his 10 overs to end up with the third worst figures for Pakistan. Only Waqar Younis and Ata-ur-Rehman had bowled poorer spells.
Ebrahim along with captain Tatenda Taibu posted 91 for the unbroken fifth wicket partnership to put on a fighting total on the board. Striking four boundaries, Ebrahim scored 71 in an 85-ball stay at the crease while Taibu had one four and three fine sixes off Rao Iftikhar, Shahid Afridi and Rana Naveed as he hit up 46.
The home bowlers were not impressive and apart from Rana Naveed, Shahid Afridi picked up one wicket while Sami, Rao Iftikhar, Shoaib and Bazid, all went wicket less. Pakistan played Salman, Misbahul Haq, Sami and Younis in place of the four players who were rested for this match.
SCOREBOARD
ZIMBABWE:
S. Matsikenyeri c Sami b Afridi 41
B.R.M. Taylor c Youhana b Rana Naveed 73
V. Sibanda run out 0
D.D. Ebrahim not out 71
M.A. Vermeulen b Rana Naveed 1
T. Taibu not out 46
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-11, NB-7) 20
TOTAL (for four wkts, 50 overs) 252
FALL OF WKTS: 1-87, 2-87, 3-159, 4-161.
DID NOT BAT: E. Chigumbura, M.L. Nkala, P. Utseya, T. Panyangara, D.T. Hondo.
BOWLING: Muhammad Sami 10-1-43-0 (1w); Rao Iftikhar 8-1-32-0 (1w); Rana Naveedul Hasan 10-0-82-2 (6nb, 2w); Shahid Afridi 10-0-39-1 (2w); Shoaib Malik 10-1-43-0 (1nb, 4w); Bazid Khan 2-0-11-0 (1w).
PAKISTAN:
Salman Butt c Chigumbura b Panyangara 30
Yasir Hameed c Taibu b Panyangara 0
Bazid Khan lbw b Panyangara 0
Shoaib Malik c Matsikenyeri b Nkala 80
Misbahul Haq c Taibu b Hondo 23
Younis Khan run out 77
Yousuf Youhana b Hondo 14
Shahid Afridi not out 16
Rana Naveedul Hasan not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-14, NB-1) 18
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 48.1 overs) 258
FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-25, 3-48, 4-89, 5-203, 6-240, 7-252.
DID NOT BAT: Rao Iftikhar, Mohammad Sami.
BOWLING: Panyangara 9-1-28-3 (5w); Hondo 10-0-61-2 (3w); Chigumbura 5-1-31-0 (1nb, 1w); Utseya 10-2-34-0; Matsikenyeri 4-0-23-0; Taylor 3-0-23-0 (3w); Nkala 5.1-0-41-1 (2w); Sibanda 2-0-14-0.
RESULT: Pakistan won by three wickets.
UMPIRES: Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and M.R. Benson (England).
TV UMPIRE: Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan).
MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Younis Khan.
NEXT MATCH: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Karachi on Wednesday.
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