Having gotten used to seeing Misbah-ul-Haq steer Pakistan in recent matches with slow, yet steady fifties, the question was whether Pakistan could manage just as well without him. Misbah failed, but another of their seniors, Mohammad Hafeez, ensured Pakistan didn't suffer a meltdown. With an idea of the kind of score Pakistan would need to stretch a Zimbabwe batting line-up high on confidence after Tuesday, Hafeez chose to be aggressive from the outset. He also ensured he batted right through, giving Pakistan the safety net needed as they raced towards 300.
Zimbabwe were guilty of dropping catches in the first ODI but those let-offs, fortunately, didn't cost them in the end. While they were relatively better today, one lapse cost them plenty of runs. When on 30, Hafeez went for the slog sweep but as the ball dipped towards deep square leg, Brian Vitori was a touch too late on the dive. He couldn't hang on and Zimbabwe were made to rue the missed chance.
Hafeez's driving, flicking and defense against the seamers was solid and he used his feet against Prosper Utseya, lofting two sixes over long-on. He launched Elton Chigumbura over the same region as he progressed to his fifty off 65 balls. Following Misbah's departure, Pakistan had lost all their experienced batsmen, but Umar Amin stepped up to give Hafeez the support he needed. Amin looked busy at the crease, looking to push the singles and attempting the odd slog, though he wasn't always successful in connecting. Zimbabwe had a chance to send Amin back on 11, when he was sent back attempting a single, but the throw missed the stumps at the bowler's end.
Amin opened up at the start of the batting Powerplay, taken in the 36th over, clipping Utseya wide of midwicket and then launching him over cover the next ball. Three overs later, he lofted Tendai Chatara over the sightscreen and followed it up with a slash past point. He found the gaps with ease through the off side and reached his maiden fifty in ODIs off just 61 balls. Pakistan smashed 43 in the Powerplay without losing a wicket, setting the platform for their late-innings acceleration.
Amin was eventually run-out from a direct hit by Chatara, but not before adding a valuable 129 with Hafeez. Hafeez made sure his side didn't lose the initiative, like they did on Tuesday with a collapse, batting positively and finding the gaps. He had all but bettered his highest ODI score (139*), made on the same ground two years ago. A blazing cameo from Shahid Afridi took Pakistan to the doorstep of 300.
It was a good recovery from the morning when Pakistan had lost three wickets within the first 25 overs and scored at a rate not greater than four an over. Nasir Jamshed was under pressure to keep his place, having looked rather edgy on Tuesday. He moved to a promising 32, before he was trapped in front by one from Utseya that straightened. Ahmed Shehzad failed to replicate his form from the T20s, falling for 5. He pushed at a ball moving away from him and spooned a catch to backward point, giving Vitori his first wicket.
Misbah was watchful, as is his signature style, but ended up putting too much pressure on himself by staying scoreless for 13 balls. The need to show some urgency prompted him to shuffle across his stumps to whip Vitori into the gaps on the on side, but he couldn't get it past short midwicket, where Sean Williams took a sharp catch. The relief was only temporary for Zimbabwe, as Hafeez took the advantage away.
Zimbabwe are a win away from registering a rare series win against a major side. Their batsmen may find the conditions easier in the afternoon, but 300 will require them to go a few steps higher than they did on Tuesday.
No comments:
Post a Comment