Bulawayo, NOV 24: Veteran All-round Sikandar Raza Butt powered Zimbabwe to 80-run victory under DLS method against Pakistan in the rain-hit ODI series opener at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.
Pakistan were in all sorts of trouble against hosts Zimbabwe in the first ODI and could only reach 60-6 in 21 overs, before rain had started.
Chasing a 206-run target, the Green Shirts were struggling to gain momentum against the Zimbabwe bowlers. Kamran Ghulam (17), Saim Ayub (11), Irfan (7) Salman Ali Agha (4) Abdullah Shafique (1), Haseebullah Khan failed to show any significant resistance with the bat.
Before the rain delayed the match, Rizwan (19 off 43) and Jamal (0 off 5) were on the wicket.
Zimbabwe bowlers were outstanding with the ball and did not provide the Pakistani batters any room whatsoever.
The experienced names, Sikandar Raza, Blessing Muzarabani, and Sean Williams, picked up two wickets apiece.
Earlier, after inviting the hosts to bat first, the Men in Green were on top with the bowl as Zimbabwe was seven down for 125.
But it was the valuable partnership stitched by Sikandar Raza Butt and Richard Ngarava, plundering 62 off 69, which provided impetus to Zimbabwe’s innings.
Zimbabwe was bundled out for 205 inside 41 overs.
For Pakistan, debutant Faisal Akram (3-24) bowled beautifully, picking up three wickets.
Salman Ali Agha (3-42) also picked up three wickets.
Haris Rauf (1-36), Aamer Jamal (1-42), and Mohammad Hasnain (1-43) took a scalp each.
Pakistan will look to bounce back in the 2nd ODI against Zimbabwe, slated to be happen on Tuesday.
