Zimbabwe beat Pakistan by 80 runs in the first ODI of the three-match series on Sunday at Queens Sports Club using the Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) technique. After being bowled out by the Green Shirts in 40.2 overs, the hosts scored 206 runs.
After losing wickets quickly, Pakistan reached 60/6 in the 21st over of the second innings. Zimbabwe leads the ODI series 1-0 after the match was called off due to rain.
After winning the toss, Pakistan invited Zimbabwe to bat first. Vice captain Salman Ali Agha and debutant Faisal Akram dismantled Zimbabwe’s batting lineup for a little total. Each took three wickets.
Aamir Jamal (42/1) and Mohammad Hasnain (43/1) were the most costly Green Shirt bowlers. Dion Myers (8) was caught off Agha in the 10th over after Zimbabwe’s Joylord Gumbie (15) was run out in the sixth.
Tadiwanashe Marumani left on Agha’s ball after making 29 off 44. Captain Craig Ervine (6 off 12) was caught by Saim Ayub off Haris Rauf. Jamal defeated Brandon Mavuta (1) and Faisal defeated Brian Bennett (20).
Before Pakistan collapsed, lower middle order batsman Sikandar Raza (39 off 56) and tail-ender Richard Ngarava (48 off 52) provided some fight. After beating Australia 2-1 in a historic match in Australia, this is Green Shirts’ second ODI series this month.
Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Tayyab Tahir replace Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 15-man team. Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in Rawalpindi in November 2020 in the 50-over format. Pakistan won a five-match ODI series in Zimbabwe in July 2018 on their last visit.
