Cricket World Cup 2015, Highlights: Pakistan Earn First Points, Beat Zimbabwe by 20 Runs
An all-round show from Wahab Riaz enabled Pakistan to earn their first points of the World Cup. He scored an unbeaten 54 and then grabbed a 4-wicket haul. Catch all the highlights of the match here.
An all-round show from Wahab Riaz enabled Pakistan to earn their first points of the World Cup. He first helped Pakistan to post a fighting 235/7 with an unbeaten 54 and then grabbed a 4-wicket haul to stall Zimbabwe's chase. He was ably helped by the captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who scored 73. During the bowling effort, Mohammed Irfan dented the Zimbabwe innings with early blows and ended with figures of four for 30.
This was Pakistan's first win of the tournament after they suffered consecutive defeats against arch-rivals India and the West Indies. Pakistan now sits at the sixth place in Pool B.
Catch all the highlights of the match here.: (Scorecard | Points Table | Fixtures)
5:10 PM (IST): That's it! All over. Pakistan have their first points on the board. They beat Zimbabwe by 20 runs.
5:01 PM (IST): Terrific over from Irfan. Zimbabwe now need an improbable 24 runs off the last over.
4:55 PM (IST): FOUR! Thrashed through covers. Riaz bowls it short and Chigumbura gets stuck into that one. Zimbabwe now need 28 runs off 12 balls.
4:50 PM (IST): Maiden over! Afridi just bowled a maiden in the 47th over! Zimbabwe needs 34 runs off 18 balls now.
4:45 PM (IST): FOUR! Finally some joy for Zimbabwe as Chigumbura slams that one down the ground. Brings up the 200 for them as well.
4:39 PM (IST): Close call of a run out there. Just in. Fantastic effort from Sohail Khan but he delayed a wee bit in releasing the ball. It was enough for the batsman to make his ground.
4:20 PM (IST): WICKET! Wahab Riaz running through Zimbabwe now! Two wickets in an over. Zimbabwe 168/8 after 39.4 overs.
4:16 PM (IST): WICKET! Seven down. Riaz sends Ervine back. Pakistan should be confident of wrapping this match up!
4:13 PM (IST): Md. Irfan has been outstanding today. He has bowled with a lot of fire and generated a lot of bounce from the track. The Zimbabwean batsmen have not been able to adjust with that.
4:04 PM (IST): WICKET! Irfan again! Mire edges one to Umar Akmal and Pakistan tighten their grip on the game. Zimbabwe 166/6 after 36.4 overs.
4:00 PM (IST): 72 runs from 14 overs, this game is far from being over. Mohammad Irfan comes back into the attack.
3:50 PM (IST): WICKET! Williams slaps one straight to Shehzad! Short, wide - that ball from Ali had four written all over it. Williams devastates as Shehzad breaks into celebration! Zimbabwe 150/5 after 33.2 overs.
3:45 PM (IST): 150 up for Zimbabwe, they are certainly making a dash for the Pakistan total. Zimbabwe require another 86 runs with 6 wickets in hand and 17.0 overs remaining
3:37 PM (IST): Anxious moments in the game. Both teams seem on the edge. Pakistan might be favourites at the moment but Zimbabwe keep chipping away at the total
3:30 PM (IST): WICKET! Taylor scores his fifty and departs immediately! Riaz slides the ball across and he edged it to the keeper Akmal. Zimbabwe 128/4 after 29.3 overs
3:25 PM (IST): FOUR! Inside edge but Taylor won't mind as long as they keep coming. This pair of Williams and Taylor has taken the game forward really quickly with terrific running and some calculated risks.
3:18 PM (IST)): Taylor pushing the scoring, hurrying Pakistan. He's suddenly come to life and Misbah looks frustrated. Pakistan is yet to win a game in this World Cup and a loss to Zimbabwe will see their campaign get into more trouble!
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3:08 PM (IST): FOUR! What a shot! Taylor comes down the track to Afridi and lofts him inside out over covers. Taylor is playing a gem. 22 runs off the last two overs. Pakistan look a touch shocked here!
3:05 PM (IST): FOUR wides! Pakistan suddenly being sloppy. The counter-attack from Zimbabwe seems to have got them a bit rattled.
3:03 PM (IST): FOUR! Zimbabwe on the counter-attack. This time Sean Williams. Short from Irfan and he sends it to the mid wicket boundary.
3:01 PM (IST): FOUR! Brendon Taylor taking on Afridi. Attacks the leg-spinner and gets two boundaries in the over!
2:55 PM (IST): WICKET! Irfan comes back and breaks the partnership! Masakadza mistimes a skier, brilliantly held by Misbah-ul-Haq. Zimbabwe 74/3 after 21.2 overs.
2:48 PM (IST): FOUR! A bit of de Villiers magic from Taylor. Goes down on one knee and then upper- cuts the ball over the keeper. Zimbabwe slowly crawling back into the game.
2:44 PM (IST): FOUR! Pitched up and beautifully driven by Masakadza. Not a bad ball from Ali but Masakadza timed it superbly!
2:31 PM (IST): FOUR! Fifty up for Zimbabwe. Poor delivery from Riaz, short outside off stump and Masakadza latches on to that. Zimbabwe 53/2 after 16 overs.
2:28 PM (IST): The three left-arm seamers from Pakistan are causing immense discomfort to the batsmen in the middle. The ball is sliding across at pace and there's a lot of playing and missing. Pakistan has kept the pressure on and there's no bad deliveries on offer for the batsmen.
2:20 PM (IST): Absolute peach from Rahat Ali - pitches on off stump and then comes back in to cut Taylor into half! The pitch seems to have livened up a touch under the lights. Zimbabwe desperately need a partnership.
2:15 PM (IST): Big appeal from Pakistan. Masakadza takes a waft outside off stump. Was there an edge? Riaz and the keeper looked supremely confident.
2:10 PM (IST): FOUR! Short from Rahat Ali and Masakadza slaps it in front of square leg. A shot of real authority. Zimbabwe 37/2 after 11 overs.
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 2:04 PM (IST): FOUR! Masakadza lofts Sohail over his head. Zimbabwe need some runs to get their innings moving.
1:54 PM (IST): WICKET! Irfan gets his second as Raza falls for 8. Awkward bounce again and Raza guides it into the hands of second slip! Irfan bowling beautifully here extracting a lot of bounce and the Zimbabweans have no answer to it. Zimbabwe 22/2 after 6.4 overs vs Pakistan
1:42 PM (IST): WICKET! Chibhabha falls. Awkward bounce from Irfan. Batsman tried to sway away but edged it to the slip! Zimbabwe 14/1 after 4.4 overs.
1:36 PM (IST): FOUR! Sweetly struck over covers. Sohail Khan misses the length again and Chibhabha climbs into it.
1:34 PM (IST): Irfan getting some lift from the wicket and Raza is anything but comfortable. After being struck on the arms, gets wrapped on the pads. This is a good start from Pakistan, visible intent on the field.
1:29 PM (IST): FOUR! Over pitched from Sohail Khan and Chibhabha punches it down the ground.
1:26 PM (IST): Good start from Mohammad Irfan. Just one run from the first over.
From being down at 4/2, Pakistan posted a commendable 235/7 thanks to fifties from captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz. Misbah, as usual, played the anchorman for a faltering Pakistan batting-order but it was Riaz's quickfire unbeaten 54 of just 46 balls that propelled Pakistan over 200.
Can Pakistan defend 235? Or will Zimbabwe chase it down?
12:51 PM (IST): Fifty for Wahab Riaz. What a splendid knock from the lower-order man. Pakistan needed a big finish and Riaz has provided just that!
12:49 PM (IST): Dropped again! That's as easy as it gets! Mire drops a dolly at deep square leg.
12:46 PM (IST): Dropped! Full toss, Riaz hits it straight at the fielder at deep square leg but he drops it!
12:42 PM (IST): SIX! Shot of the match. Riaz clears his front leg and whacks the ball straight over Panyangara's head. Pakistan 216/7 after 48 overs.
12:37 PM (IST): WICKET! Misbah holes out in the deep. No hundred for the lone ranger from Pakistan. Goes for the pick-up shot over mid-on only to find the fielder at the edge of the boundary. What a big wicket that is at this stage of the game! The skipper departs for a well made 73. Pakistan 202/7 after 46.1 overs.
12:32 PM (IST): FOUR! Riaz is playing a gem of an innings here. Swats the short delivery over wide mid on. Pakistan goes past 200.
12:29 PM (IST): FOUR! Poor delivery. Short and angling down the leg side. Riaz helps it over short fine leg. Important knock this from Riaz. Much needed momentum for Pakistan.
12:26 PM (IST): FOUR! Wahab Riaz breaks the shackles. Goes down the track and pummels the low full toss over square leg.
12:21 PM (IST): Williams just bowled a maiden in the 44th over. Six deliveries right on the button, fantastic bowling from the left-arm spinner. Pakistan 183/6 after 44 overs.
12:14 PM (IST): Eight overs to go. Can Pakistan finish with a flourish?
12:05 PM (IST): FOUR! Edged and down to third man. Wahab Riaz gets Pakistan a much needed boundary.
11:57 AM (IST): WICKET! Maqsood's cameo comes to a soft end! Looking to play on the onside lobs it back to the bowler Mupariwa. Pakistan 156/6 after 38.3 overs.
11:54 AM (IST): FOUR! Short, wide and lofted over point by Maqsood.
11:50 AM (IST): FOUR! Maqsood taking the attack to the bowlers.
11:46 AM (IST): Misbah now needs to stay till the end. He has consumed over a 100 deliveries now and if Pakistan has to get anywhere near 250, their captain needs to be the man for them, again!
11:31 AM (IST): DOUBLE STRIKE! Umar Akmal departs for 33 and then Afridi goes for a duck, that too on his birthday! Both batsmen missing the one that angles in from Williams. Zimbabwe have snatched the initiative back again. Just when the match was about to go Pakistan's way, they have struck not once by twice. The game is open again! Pakistan 127/5 after 34 overs.
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11:23 AM (IST): Fifty for Misbah-ul-Haq. Yet another steady fifty from the Pakistan captain.
11:15 AM (IST): Some urgency from Pakistan now. Umar Akmal pushing the singles and taking the odd risk while Misbah looks rock steady at the other end. Pakistan 118/3 after 31 overs.
11:10 AM (IST): FOUR! Runs are coming at a faster clip now for Pakistan. Mire bowls one down to the leg side and Akmal gets a fine tickle. No chance for the long leg fielder there.
11:07 AM (IST): FOUR! Umar Akmal now gets Willaims away. Marginally short but it was enough for Akmal to whip it over mid wicket.
11:03 AM (IST): At Wellington, Sri Lanka have successfully chased down 310 and they have done that by losing just a single wicket. Thirimanne and Sangakkara with unbeaten hundreds in a massive 200 plus runs stand!
10:57 AM (IST): FOUR! Finally, Misbah gets a move on. Long hop from Williams. The Pakistan captain swivels back and whacks it over mid wicket. Pakistan 84/3 after 26 overs.
10:50 AM (IST): FOUR! Misbah threads one through covers but happened to Chigumbura there? The captain gets his foot stuck in the turf and has taken a nasty fall. This doesn't look good at all. He's now hobbling out of the field with the help from the medical staff.
10:48 AM (IST): Big innings for Umar Akmal this. He needs a big one under his belt. There has been much talk about his lack of performances and Pakistan need a contribution from him today.
10:40 AM (IST): WICKET! Sohail departs for 27. Raza with the wicket off his first delivery. Rank bad delivery, short asking to be hit but Sohail just finds the fielder. Pakistan 62/3 after 21 overs
10:33 AM (IST): 50 -run partnership comes up between Sohail and Misbah but Pakistan need more. They need some momentum.
10:27 AM (IST): Pakistan might not have lost wickets after the early dent but they are scoring at snail's pace. Misbah has had a lot of the strike but has gone into his shell while Sohail too, isn't middling anything. Pakistan 51/2 after 19 overs.
10:25 AM (IST): While Misbah is struggling for singles, runs are flowing off Sangakkara's bat at Wellington. He's taking England apart at Wellington.
10:20 AM (IST): Meanwhile in Wellington, Sri Lanka are chasing down their 310-run target against England, rather easily. Thirimanne is leading the charge with a hundred while old war-horse Sangakkara has smashed his way to yet another fifty.
10:09 AM (IST): FOUR! Spin into the attack. Nice and juicy half-volley from Williams and Misbah cracks it through the covers.
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10:02 AM (IST): Down the track comes Sohail, clears the in-field but the ball just stops before the boundary. Pakistan 24/2 after 13 overs.
9:55 AM (IST): Haris Sohail swings and misses. Zimbabwe tightening their noose on Pakistan. The batsmen can't get the ball off the square. Both Misbah and Sohail are consuming a lot of deliveries.
9:47 AM (IST): Zimbabwe have completely dominated the first 10 overs of this game. Apart from the two early wickets, they have dried up the runs and Pakistan have found no answer to some really good bowling.
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9:35 AM (IST): Chatara bowling fantastic lines here. Nothing on offer for the batsmen. Pakistan need to rotate the strike to get the innings moving because both Misbah and Sohail have got stuck. Pakistan 12/2 after 8 overs.
9:28 AM (IST): FOUR! Top shot from Sohail. Full on middle stump and the left-hander punches it down the ground. Didn't Pakistan need that boundary!
9:26 AM (IST): Another appeal from the Zimbabweans. They are up for this game - bowling great lines and the fielders are throwing themselves around. Pakistan needs a big effort from Misbah to get them out of this hole.
9:18 AM (IST): WICKET! Shehzad now falls to Chatara. Absolute peach of a delivery. Pitched on off stump and then moves off the deck to find the outside edge of Shehzad. Pakistan in huge trouble. 4/2 after 4 overs. Absolute disastrous start for the men in green.
9:13 AM (IST): WICKET! Nasir Jamshed falls to Chatara. Short delivery, tried to pull, finds the fielder at square leg. The shot was on but just couldn't find the gap! Pakistan 1/1 after 2 overs
9:05 AM (IST): Good over first up from Panyangara. Bowling in the channel and backed up by some good athletic fielding as well. Pakistan 1/0 after 1 over.
8:56 AM (IST): The teams are out for the national anthems. Pakistan have gone in with four seams in Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan. Interestingly, the leg-spinner Yasir Shah still doesn't find a place in the playing XI. Could have been handy against a Zimbabwe side that's not used to facing much wrist spin.
8:41 AM (IST): Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has won the toss and elected to bat. Experienced Younis Khan fails to make the team after a string of failures and Rahat Ali gets his first game of the tournament. Chamu Chibhabha, Solomon Mire and Tawanda Mupariwa are in for Zimbabwe while Regis Chakabva, Tafadzwa Kamungozi and Stuart Matsikenyeri make their way out.
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Pakistan, who have been mauled by 76 runs by bitter-rivals India and suffered a 150-run rout at the hands of the West Indies, will look to get their first win to keep their quarter-final hopes alive against Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, go into the game on the back of a four-wicket win over the UAE, a 62-run loss to South Africa and a 73-run defeat by the West Indies in a game where Chris Gayle made the first double century in World Cup history.
The African side have found it hard to restrict opposition batsmen -- West Indies feasted on their bowlers to the tune of 372 for two while South Africa helped themselves to 339 for four.
Pakistan haven't played since February 21 but despite the break, giving them plenty of time to chew over over their problems, they will be buoyed by knowing they traditionally hold the upper hand against Zimbabwe. (Misbah Faces Flak from Former Cricketers)
Pakistan hold a 4-0 head-to-head record against the African side in the World Cups.