Bulawayo: Saeem Ayub’s unbeaten 113 helped Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in Bulawayo on Tuesday to level the one-day international series at one match apiece.
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 145 at the Queen’s Sports Club as they sought their second victory over the tourists in three days with an 80-run win in the rain-shortened tour opener. Pakistan then atoned for a disappointing batting performance on Sunday with Ayub and fellow opener Abdullah Shafiq (32 not out) reaching their target in 18.2 overs.
“We have already forgotten the game and we will try to forget this game and at the same time we are trying to stay in the present and take it one game at a time,” Ayub told reporters. I’m trying to take it.” “In the previous match, the ball was stopping more and the weather was also different. Today it was slower on one side and better on the other.
“You had to be careful and I didn’t think I could use all my shots. We practice for all types of pitches, not just one type. Ayub scored 17 runs off 62 balls in a 75-minute stand. And hit three sixes while Shafiq hit four fours in the southern city.
The 22-year-old left-hander Ayub needed 32 balls to reach his half-century and completed his century off 53 balls, the second fastest by a Pakistani in ODIs after Shahid Afridi. He had an early escape when Richard Ngarawa pulled a thick outside edge that flew into the empty second slip area.
Poor Zimbabwean fielding also saved Shafiq, whose wayward drive was dropped at backward point by veteran all-rounder Shaun Williams. Zimbabwe, to win the first ODI series against Pakistan, used five bowlers, but none made an impact with Brendan Mawta, who conceded 47 runs in four overs, particularly expensive.
After winning the toss, Zimbabwean openers Jewelward Gumbi (five) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (four) were quickly in trouble as they returned to the pavilion with less than four overs to spare. Only Dion Myers, who hit six fours in his 30-ball 33, and Williams, who scored 31 before being caught leg-by-leg by Ayub, impressed for the home side.
Pakistan-born all-rounder Sikandar Raza, often a batting savior for Zimbabwe, managed just 17 runs before becoming one of Salman Ali Agha’s three victims. Debutant Abrar Ahmed took four wickets and Ali Agha three wickets for Pakistan, who arrived in South Africa after a 3-0 ODI series defeat in Australia.
Zimbabwe won the toss.
Zimbabwe innings
Gumbi B Ahmed 5
Marumani run out Tahir/Muhammad 4
Myers LBWB Salman 33
Arun (c) J. Rizwan bin Salman 18
Williams LBWB Ayub 31
Raza J Ahmed bin Salman 17
Bennett C. Ghulam B. Ahmad 14
Mawta LBWB Ahmed 3
Nagarwa B. Abrar 2
Mazarbani J Shafiq B Faisal 11
Trevor Guando not out 1
Extras: (lb 1, w 5) 6
Total: 32.3 Ov (RR: 4.46) 145
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-23, 3-61, 4-68, 5-97, 6-121, 7-125, 8-132, 9-133, 10-145
Bowling: Aamir Jamal 4-0-24-0, Abrar Ahmed 8-2-33-4, Haris Rauf 4-0-26-0, Salman Agha 7-0-26-3, Saeem Ayub 4-0-16 1, Faisal Akram 5.3-0-19-1
Pakistan (T: 146 runs 50 overs)
Saeem Ayub 113 not out
Shafiq not out 32
Extra: (w 3) 3
Total: 18.2 Ov (RR: 8.07) 148/0
Not batting: Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Rizwan (c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Irfan Khan, Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf, Faisal Akram, Abrar Ahmed.
Bowling: Blessing Mazarbani 5-0-30-0, Richard Ngarwa 3-0-17-0, Trevor Gwandu 2-0-24-0, Sikandar Raza 4.2-0-30-0, Brendan Mawta 4-0-47- 0
Match Result: Pakistan won by 10 wickets.
Player of the Match: Saim Ayub
Umpires: Forster Matizwa, Michael Gough