Pakistan held the upper hand after restricting Zimbabwe to 225-6 in their second One Day International at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat with Brendan Taylor’s team getting off to a very slow start.
There were three maidens in the first seven overs by Juanid Khan and Sohail Tanveer. Vusi Sibanda scored one run from 20 balls before getting out for 14.
Hamilton Masakadza scored only four from his first 25 balls.
In the first 10 overs only 22 runs were on the scoreboard.
It all added up to potential disaster for the home team, though they went on to make a recovery of sorts.
Masakadza ended with 68 runs but from 118 balls, well below par. He held the team together, but fell well short of what he should have scored from that number of deliveries. It was his 18th half century.
Taylor also got 50 runs, his 23rd half century, while Tatenda Taibu hit a bright and adventurous 26. Elton Chigumbura and Prosper Utseya took 13 off Tanveer’s last over, but it had the look of being too little too late.
It was as much Pakistan’s opening attack success as Zimbabwe’s failure in the early stages of the innings.
Junaid Khan finished with 1-29 in 10 overs, and Tanveer took two wickets for 43 in nine overs.
Sibanda and partner Justice Chibhabha simply couldn’t cope with the seamers’ policy of swinging the ball across them.
The Zimbabwe middle order were much more comfortable with the spinners, taking a succession of singles. Masakadza and Elton Chigumbura hit sixes but they were more gestures than substantive contributions.
Taylor might well rue the decision to bat first. Pakistan have a strong batting line-up and they will be feeling confident of getting 226 runs for victory and the series.
Pakistan won the first of the three match series in Nulawayo on Thursday.
