Faheem’s five-for helps Pakistan take Zimbabwe series

BULAWAYO: Seamer Faheem Ashraf grabbed his maiden five-for in One-day Internationals as Pakistan continued their domination of Zimbabwe by inflicting a nine-wicket drubbing upon their hapless hosts on Wednesday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Faheem Ashraf claimed 5-22 and left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan returned to the one-day side with 2-7 as Zimbabwe were shot out for 67 in 25.1 overs at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Captain Hamilton Masakadza won his third successive toss, but Zimbabwe’s batsmen continued to struggle against Pakistan seamers.

Opener Fakhar Zaman, dropped on two at first slip, made an unbeaten 43

off 24 balls and took Pakistan to 69-1 in just 9.5 overs.

Blessing Muzarabani had Imam-ul-Haq caught behind off the very

first ball with a superb bouncer before Fakhar smashed the tall fast bowler for four boundaries in one over.

Fakhar was also struck on the grille of his helmet by a short one from Richard Ngarava, but he quickly recovered his composure and ended the match in a flurry of boundaries. He struck seven fours in the space of 10 deliveries to seal the match.

“A great performance,” Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed said. “Faheem and Junaid bowl well ... Faheem getting better day by day, he is an all-rounder and we need him. We will try to give opportunities to the other players in the next two games.”

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah, playing his first ODI in almost two years after recovering from hip surgery, bowled seven steady overs for just 10 runs and had No. 8 batsman Tendai Chisoro bowled round his legs.

Debutant opener Prince Masvaure, one of the four changes Zimbabwe made after losing the first two games by 201 runs and nine wickets respectively was caught behind off fast bowler Usman Khan’s second delivery.

Junaid had the Zimbabwe captain caught at mid-off before Tarisai Musakanda was dismissed for zero while going for a needless pull shot off the left-armer.

Man-of-the-match Faheem then hurried the middle-order collapse by claiming four wickets in four overs and wrapped up the innings by clean bowling last man Richard Ngarava.

The hosts were wobbling at 26-3 when Faheem came on as first change in the 10th over, and he quickly had Peter Moor brilliantly caught at slip by Babar Azam before trapping Chamu Chibhabha leg before wicket with a skidding full delivery.

He then had Elton Chigumbura caught behind and bowled Ryan Murray as Zimbabwe slipped to a perilous 54-8.

Tailenders Wellington Masakadza and Blessing Muzarabani clung on for seven overs, but leg-spinner Shadab Khan eventually removed Muzarabani with a googly and Faheem then returned to end the innings with a pinpoint yorker.

Zimbabwe’s 67 was their lowest ever total against Pakistan, and the lowest score ever recorded in 78 ODIs at Queens Sports Club.

“It was a bit of a disaster,” Masakadza said. “We just tell the guys to stay positive and try to rectify the wrongs done today. It’s not easy to come back, though ... hopefully, we come out firing next game.”

The teams will play two further matches, on Friday and Sunday, at the same ground.

Scoreboard

ZIMBABWE:

P.S. Masvaure c Sarfraz b Usman 1
C. Chibhabha lbw b Faheem 16
H. Masakadza c Yasir b Junaid 10
T.K. Musakanda c Sarfraz b Junaid 0
P.J. Moor c Babar b Faheem 1
R. Murray b Faheem 8
E. Chigumbura c Sarfraz b Faheem 9
T.S. Chisoro b Yasir 0
W.P. Masakadza not out 10
B. Muzarabani lbw b Shadab 4
R. Ngarava b Faheem 1

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-4) 7

TOTAL (all out, 25.1 overs) 67

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-18, 3-25, 4-29, 5-32, 6-42, 7-43, 8-54, 9-66.

BOWLING: Junaid Khan 5-1-7-2 (1w); Usman Khan Shinwari 4-0-19-1 (1w); Faheem Ashraf 8.1-2-22-5 (1w); Yasir Shah 7-2-10-1 (1w); Shadab Khan 1-0-6-1.

PAKISTAN:

Imam- ul-Haq c Murray b Muzarabani 0
Fakhar Zaman not out 43
Babar Azam not out 19

EXTRAS (W-7) 7

TOTAL (for one wkt, 9.5 overs) 69

FALL OF WKT: 1-0.

DID NOT BAT: Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Yasir Shah, Junaid Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari.

BOWLING: Muzarabani 5-0-43-1 (6w); Ngarava 4.5-0-26-0 (1w).

RESULT: Pakistan won by nine wickets to lead five-match series 3-0.