It started off disastrously for Pakistan, but the benefit of cool heads prevailed in a fascinating match at the Gabba, with Zimbabwe unable to wrest control over a match that they appeared to be in front in for the majority of the evening.
The fact that Pakistan was 2/4 after four overs, and then crawled along at a pace that snails would have been comfortable with in order to re-establish the innings, should have given Zimbabwe the confidence to try and ram home an advantage. No doubt at the end of the 50 overs, they had to feel as though they had performed the first half of their job with aplomb. They didn't bowl Pakistan out, but wickets came at regular intervals, enough to keep the run rate down to a minimum. Picking up Shahid Afridi for a second ball duck, just before the start of the Powerplay, was an added bonus. Their only failing was in allowing Wahab Riaz the ability to fling his bat towards the end of the innings. His 54 not out from 46 balls, after the skipper Misbah had again anchored the recovery effort with a brilliant 73bably allowed 20-30 runs more than they should have. No doubt both sides would have felt comfortable with the final score of 7/235 - Zimbabwe because of the reachable target, and Pakistan because it was more than they looked like scoring.
The fact that Pakistan was 2/4 after four overs, and then crawled along at a pace that snails would have been comfortable with in order to re-establish the innings, should have given Zimbabwe the confidence to try and ram home an advantage. No doubt at the end of the 50 overs, they had to feel as though they had performed the first half of their job with aplomb. They didn't bowl Pakistan out, but wickets came at regular intervals, enough to keep the run rate down to a minimum. Picking up Shahid Afridi for a second ball duck, just before the start of the Powerplay, was an added bonus. Their only failing was in allowing Wahab Riaz the ability to fling his bat towards the end of the innings. His 54 not out from 46 balls, after the skipper Misbah had again anchored the recovery effort with a brilliant 73bably allowed 20-30 runs more than they should have. No doubt both sides would have felt comfortable with the final score of 7/235 - Zimbabwe because of the reachable target, and Pakistan because it was more than they looked like scoring.
Zimbabwe's batting line up couldn't push home the advantage. The Richard Karl of the cricket world, Mohammed Irfan, bowled quick, straight and from about 9 feet in height, and took out the top three in two fine spells. Much like the Pakistan innings, Zimbabwe was just unable to get going and put together a match winning stand. At 4/150 after 33 overs they should have been in a winning position, but the loss of Williams, Ervine and Mire for 18 runs in 7 overs spelled trouble, and despite an injured and slogging Chigumbura trying his utmost, the damage had been done in the middle order, and Zimbabwe was dismissed for 215 in the final over, still 21 runs short of a winning total.
It was a great chance for Zimbabwe to show that they were a team on the improve, by not only beating a team of Pakistan's ilk but by controlling the game from the outset. This loss will be a tough one to swallow. It pins them to the bottom of the Full Member teams again, with little to show again after 23 years. Pakistan escaped calamity thanks to their ageless skipper, who again rescued the middle order to enable his team to at least post a competitive total, which on this occasion was enough for victory. They are still in a fight with the West Indies and Ireland for quarter final positions, which will likely not be resolved until the final day of the preliminary rounds.
It was a great chance for Zimbabwe to show that they were a team on the improve, by not only beating a team of Pakistan's ilk but by controlling the game from the outset. This loss will be a tough one to swallow. It pins them to the bottom of the Full Member teams again, with little to show again after 23 years. Pakistan escaped calamity thanks to their ageless skipper, who again rescued the middle order to enable his team to at least post a competitive total, which on this occasion was enough for victory. They are still in a fight with the West Indies and Ireland for quarter final positions, which will likely not be resolved until the final day of the preliminary rounds.
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