The ODI series between Zimbabwe and Pakistan goes down to the wire on Thursday as the sides head into the third and final encounter level at 1-1. Jonhenry Wilson previews.
Zimbabwe v Pakistan – Third ODI
Thursday 28 November
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
It was something of a surprise win for the home side in the first ODI as they cruised home by 80 runs after a Duckworth Lewis calculation. The second ODI was dominated by Pakistan who won by 10 wickets.
To Win Match
Zimbabwe 7/2 | Tue 25/1 | Pakistan 21/100
As much as the first ODI was rain-affected, Zimbabwe pretty much had it in the bag by the time it poured. With Blessing Muzarabani generating swing and Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza getting turn, Pakistan was in trouble long before the rain came. It was a performance the home side should have taken confidence from.
Keep an eye on Pakistan-born Sikandar Raza who is a cricketer with a lot to offer. Raza is a very useful batsman and an able bowler. Although he is perhaps a little more suited to the T20I format, a batting average of 36.29 is more than handy. When he gets going, he hits the ball a long way. He has 90 ODI wickets to his credit and against his home country, he will be eager to show what he can do.
Zimbabwe is a team of honest tryers, guys who give their all and who do a bit of everything. Much like Raza, another all-rounder is veteran Sean Williams who gives the ball a good tweak and more than holds his own with the bat. A big fan of the reverse-sweep, Williams could be the man best suited to neutralizing the Pakistan spinners. In a low-scoring series, he is averaging 27 from his two innings.
This is very much a second-string Pakistan side. They are without stars like Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman but they still have plenty to offer. Afridi and Azam are the number one ranked ODI bowler and batsman respectively, but the players coming through are strong. Young opener Saim Ayub, who banged a ton in the second ODI has still played just five ODI’s but at this stage of his career he is averaging over 60.
Keep an eye out Ayub, his 53-ball century was the fastest ever by a Pakistani batsman, other than the legendary Shahid Afridi, in an ODI. That’s some sensational company to be keeping at such an early stage of your career.
Haris Rauf is always a handful and while he hasn’t taken many wickets in Zimbabwe, just one on tour so far, he is a tricky customer who will keep the pressure on. On current form he’s the 13th best ODI bowler in the world.
It’s the spinners from both sides who have done the bulk of the damage in the series. Pakistan debutant Abrar Ahmed’s had the Zimbabwean batsmen bamboozled with his leg-spinners as he enjoyed a first outing for the national side by returning figures of four for 33. With the third ODI, like the two before it, set to be played in Bulawayo, Ahmed looks certain to start again.
Although he averages over 42 from his last five innings, opener Abdullah Shafique has looked a bit scratchy in Zimbabwe. He managed just a single in the opening ODI and although he was undefeated in the second, his 32 from 48 balls was in stark contrast to Ayub’s 113 from 62.
Verdict: Pakistan 21/100
As plucky as Zimbabwe are, the tourists should have too much firepower in all areas. They have more experience and quality and having been surprised once are unlikely to fail again.
