BRISBANE: An anxious Pakis­tan side got their World Cup campaign back on track on Sunday when the 1992 champions downed Zimbabwe by 20 runs to claim their first win of the tournament.

Wahab Riaz also excelled with both bat and ball, scoring a crucial half-century and taking four wickets, as Zimbabwe were all out for 215 in the 50th over, chasing Pakistan’s 235-7.

It was Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s patient 73 and a quickfire unbeaten 54 from Riaz that gave the team, looking for their first win after defeats to India and West Indies, a total to defend after losing early wickets to paceman Tendai Chatara.

Towering left arm paceman Mohammad Irfan then took full advantage of the lively Gabba wicket to claim the first three Zimbabwe scalps on his way to a career-best 4-30.

After posting what appeared to be a below par total, Irfan gave Pakistan the ideal start when he dismissed the two Zimbabwe openers in a lethal first spell.

The 2.16-metre (7ft 1in) tall Irfan troubled the Zimbabwe openers with his bounce, both Chamu Chibhabha and Sikandar Raza guiding lifting deliveries to Haris Sohail at second slip.

Hamilton Masakadza (29) and Brendan Taylor saw off Irfan and settled the Zimbabwe innings, adding 52 runs without trouble.

However, Misbah brought Irfan back after 21 overs with immediate dividends, Masakadza skying an attempted pull shot to the captain at midwicket.

The in-form Sean Williams joined Taylor and the pair added 54 in quick time as Zimbabwe looked headed for victory.

But moments after reaching his 32nd ODI half century, Taylor attempted a leg glance only to get a tickle through to keeper Umar Akmal to leave the Zimbabweans 128-4, but still well in control.

However, when they lost Williams for 33 after he hit Rahat Ali straight to Ahmed Shehzad at backward point with the score on 150 the run chase began to fall away.

Irfan then had Solomon Mire caught behind to leave Zimbabwe 166-6, still 70 runs short of victory with 13 overs remaining.

Skipper Elton Chigumbura, who tore the quadriceps in his left leg while fielding, was clearly hampered with his running bet­ween the wickets and the required run rate began to climb steadily.

Craig Ervine (14) and Tawanda Mupariwa both perished caught behind off Wahab with the score on 168 and despite a late flourish from Chigumbura (35), Zimbabwe struggled to lay bat to ball in the closing overs.

Earlier, Pakistan recovered from another terrible start to post a competitive 235-7, thanks largely to Misbah and a whirlwind 54 off 46 balls from Wahab.

Chatara (3-35) got ample movement and bounce off the surface to send back openers Nasir Jamshed (1) and Shehzad (0) in his first two overs after Misbah had won the toss and opted to bat.

The double blow forced Pakis­tan to retreat into a defensive shell, amassing the lowest tally in the first 10 overs at this World Cup when they reached 14-2 after the opening 60 balls. Pakistan were never able to break free at any time in their innings and as is often the case, Misbah was left with the responsibility of rebuilding Pakistan’s innings.

The 40-year-old right-hander added a pedestrian 54 for the third wicket with Haris Sohail (27) and 69 for the fourth with Umar (33) before Williams struck another double-blow to peg Pakistan back.

The left-arm spinner got deliveries to straighten and clean bowled Umar and birthday boy Shahid Afridi for a duck in the space of three balls.

Misbah holed out at long on trying to clear Chatara out of the ground after another meaningful stand of 47 with Wahab Riaz for the seventh wicket. The partnership took Pakistan past the 200 mark and some clean hitting from Wahab, who belted six fours and a six in his 46-ball knock for his first 50 in the format, added some vital runs at the death.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Nasir Jamshed c Sikandar b Chatara 1 Ahmed Shehzad c Taylor b Chatara 0 Haris Sohail c Williams b Sikandar 27 Misbah-ul-Haq c Williams b Chatara 73 Umar Akmal b Williams 33 Shahid Afridi b Williams 0 Sohaib Maqsood c and b Mupariwa 21 Wahab Riaz not out 54 Sohail Khan not out 6

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-17) 20

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 235

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-4, 3-58, 4-127, 5-127, 6-155, 7-202.

DID NOT BAT: Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan.

BOWLING: Panyangara 10-1-49-0 (2w); Chatara 10-2-35-3 (6w); Mupariwa 8-1-36-1 (3w); Williams 10-1-48-2 (1w); Masakadza 3-0-14-0; Chigumbura 1-0-7-0 (4w); Raza 7-0-34-1; Mire 1-0-9-0 (1w)

ZIMBABWE:

C.J. Chibhabha c Haris b Irfan 9 Sikandar Raza c Haris b Irfan 8 H. Masakadza c Misbah b Irfan 29 B.R.M. Taylor c Umar b Wahab 50 S.C. Williams c Shehzad b Rahat 33 C.R. Ervine c Umar b Wahab 14 S.F. Mire c Umar b Irfan 8 E. Chigumbura c Umar b Wahab 35 T. Mupariwa c Umar b Wahab 0 T. Panyangara run out 10 T.L. Chatara not out 0

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-2 W-13, NB-1) 19

TOTAL (all out, 49.4 overs) 215

FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-22, 3-74, 4-128, 5-150, 6-166, 7-168, 8-168, 9-215.

BOWLING: Mohammad Irfan 10-2-30-4 (7w); Sohail Khan 10-0-45-0; Rahat Ali 10-0-37-1 (4w 1nb); Wahab Riaz 9.4-1-45-4 (2w); Shahid Afridi 10-1-53-0.

RESULT: Pakistan won by 20 runs.

UMPIRES: R.A. Kettleborough (England) and J.S. Wilson (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: P.R. Reiffel (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Wahab Riaz.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2015

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