LAHORE: Top-order batsmen helped Pakistan earn their highest ODI total at home as they posted 375-3 in the three-match series opener against Zimb­abwe at the Gaddafi Staduim on Tuesday.

With all the top four batsmen smashing half-centuries, the pick of them all was the returning all-rounder Shoaib Malik whose century in six years came off just 76 balls with the aid of 12 fours and two sixes.

Malik, whose last ODI century came against India in the Champions Trophy in 2009, lost his wicket off the last ball of the innings before adding 201 runs off 197 balls along with undefeated Haris Sohail (89) in the third wicket stand.

Malik being elevated to the one-down position through a wise decision by captain Azhar Ali remained subdued as long as opener Mohammad Hafeez was on the crease but went berserk afterwards along with Haris Sohail by mauling every Zimbabwe bowler with ease.

He was mainly aggressive against paceman Timashe Panyangara and pulled him for six boundaries out of his total 12 with both the batsmen picking momentum from 32nd over collecting 34 runs until the 35th over to enter the power play stage which was fully utilised by both the set batsmen.

MOHAMMAD Hafeez plays a shot through the on-side as Zimbabwean wicket-keeper Richmond Mutumbami looks on.—AFP

Malik completed his half-century in the 39th over off mere 43 balls with the aid of five fours and one six, with both the batsmen adding 62 runs in the next five overs and 50 in the final five overs before the experienced all-rounder was caught at point by Hamilton Masakadza off Panyangara.

Also, Haris remained unbeaten after scoring 89 runs with the help of six fours and two sixes having faced 66 balls.

Earlier, captain Azhar and Mohammad Hafeez laid a strong foundation by giving an opening stand of 176 runs with both openers playing cautiously at the onset, for Pakistan score was only eight after five overs while the first boundary came in the sixth over by Azhar to left-arm Brian Vitori.

In the next over, the captain slammed Panyangara for the second boundary at the mid-wicket as Pakistan accelerated their innings with Hafeez who was earlier defensive—scoring only four runs off 22 balls—making his presence felt by hitting Panyangara off the first ball of the ninth over first for a four and then for a six over the mid-wicket area.

PAKISTAN captain Azhar Ali acknowledges the crowd after completing the half-century.—White Star

Zimbabwe brought in Christopher Mpofu to replace Vitori but only to see back-to-back boundaries from Azhar as Pakistan succeeded in scoring 47 in 10 overs. Paki­stan reached the 50-run mark without any loss in 10.3 overs.

Pakistan easily collected 36 runs to take the total to 83 in the 15th over wherein Hafeez hit two fours and one six to Sean Williams while Azhar was aggressive against Mpofu, cracking two boundaries to him.

Azhar completed his half-century off 55 balls with the help of eight fours in the 17th over by taking a single off Vitori, and raised his bat to acknowledge cheerful applause from the jam-packed stadium.

Hafeez, in the next over, cracked a four to Vittori as Pakistan scored 100 off 109 balls. At this stage, Azhar was at 51 off 56 balls while Hafeez who looked well-set succeeded in accelerating his innings with the latter’s half-century coming off 59 balls with the aid of two sixes and four fours.

Hafeez turned more aggressive having completed his 50 hitting two boundaries to Utseya and when he blasted Sikandar Raza for back-to-back sixes he had passed Azhar, scoring 80 runs off 78 balls, leaving his partner at 74 off 72 balls.

CROWD in cheerful mood.—White Star

However, Utseya finally sent back both the openers in quick succession breaking the partnership at a time when Panyangara held an easy catch at the long-off area after Azhar got a bottom edge.

The captain succeeded in scoring 79 off 76 balls comprising nine boundaries and two sixes along with Hafeez in their opening stand of 170 which came off 156 balls.

And soon the one-down Malik lost senior partner Hafeez who while trying to sweep Utseya was clean bowled for 86, having cracked four sixes and eight boundaries.

ZIMBABWE’S Christopher Mpofu fails to take a catch on the boundary.—AFP

Off-spinner Sikandar Raza remained most expensive conceding 43 runs in five overs with Prosper Utseya taking two wickets for 63 runs while Panyangara claimed one wicket for 75 runs.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Mohammad Hafeez b Utseya 86 Azhar Ali c Panyangara b Utseya 79 Shoaib Malik c Masakadza b Panyangara 112 Haris Sohail not out 89

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-3, NB-1) 9

TOTAL (for three wkts, 50 overs) 375

FALL OF WKTS: 1-170, 2-174, 3-375.

DID NOT BAT: Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Hammad Azam, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah.

BOWLING: Panyangara 10-0-75-1 (1nb); Vitori 10-1-77-0; Mpofu 10-0-70-0 (3w); Williams 5-0-42-0; Utseya 10-0-63-2; Sikandar Raza 5-0-43-0.

ZIMBABWE: V. Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, H. Masakadza, S.C. Williams, C.R. Ervine, E. Chigumbura, R. Mutumbami, P. Utseya, T. Panyangara, B.V. Vitori, C.B. Mpofu.

UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and R.B. Tiffin (Zimbabwe).

TV UMPIRE: Ahmed Shahab (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: Azhar Khan (Pakistan).

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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