Pakistan stay alive with tense win against Zimbabwe

BRISBANE: It read like an all too familiar story. The top order flopped again and a Misbah-ul-Haq fifty failed to lift Pakistan to a sufficient total as they looked to revive their fast-evaporating hopes for World Cup survival with a much-needed win against Zimbabwe here at the Gabba on Sunday.
But then the script changed. One man primarily responsible for changing the story was the man who was touted by Pakistan as their biggest gun when they came Down Under to regain the world crown.
Mohammad Irfan picked up two Zimbabwean wickets with the new ball on a teasing wicket and then returned to grab a couple more in the middle overs to help Pakistan defend a modest total of 235 in their must-win Pool B match. Irfan finished with his career-best figures of 4-30.
He was ably supported by Wahab Riaz, another left-arm pacer, who followed his valuable 46-ball 54 with 4-46 to give Pakistan their first points in the tournament. Wahab was a deserving winner of the man-of-the-match award.
The 20-run victory might not be a convincing one but it is perhaps one of the more important World Cup wins for Pakistan as it keeps them in the hunt for a quarterfinal spot after back-to-back defeats against India and West Indies.
There was enough drama in the Zimbabwean run-chase as their skipper Elton Chigumbura kept them alive with a brave, run-a-ball 35 despite a suspected torn quadriceps that he sustained during the Pakistani innings.
Before that, Zimbabwe seemed to be cruising when Brendon Taylor (50 off 72) balls and Craig Ervine (14 off 29 balls) put on 54 off 49 balls for the fourth wicket.
But the Pakistani attack with its four seamers kept imposing pressure and Zimbabwe, who have not beaten a top-eight team at the World Cup since 1999, finally crumbled.
Though Irfan and Wahab were the main heroes for Pakistan, Rahat Ali and Sohai Khan also bowled well.
Shahid Afridi, who had an otherwise forgettable birthday because of a duck and a bit unflattering figures with the ball, bowled a useful maiden in the 47th over to make the task difficult for Chigumbura.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting got exposed once again.
Having dropped Younis Khan, Pakistan must have been looking to put up a big score on the board in a bid to lift their abysmal run-rate.
But they were never in control after electing to bat. Nasir Jamshed failed again to a short ball this time against Tendai Chatara (3-35). The left-hander tried to pull from outside off only to offer an easy catch to Sikandar Raza at square leg.
Chatara struck again in his second over bowling an excellent one to Ahmed Shehzad that angled in. The out-of-form opener displayed no footwork and it seemed he wasn’t even aware where his off stump was.
Pakistan were 4-2 in four overs and once again the responsibility was on Misbah’s aging shoulders to steer his team clear of stormy waters. They were 14-2 in 10 overs and then 33-2 in 15 — the lowest in this World Cup so far.
Together with Haris Sohail, Misbah began a salvage operation but at a crawling pace. But just when things were beginning to look better for Pakistan, Haris fell for a 44-ball 27. It was a soft dismissal as Haris had all the time in the world to smash left-arm spinner Sean Williams (2-48) out of the park but he only managed to hit it straight to short midwicket.
Just like Haris, Umar Akmal too offered false hopes during his 42-ball 33. He fell to Williams who scalped Afridi one ball later. It was Afridi’s first World Cup duck.
Sohaib Maqsood also fell cheaply before Misbah failed to clear the fence falling to Chitara caught by Williams at long on in the 47th over. Misbah’s 73 came off 121 balls and included three fours. Pakistan were 202-7 but Wahab propelled them to 235-7 with an extremely valuable fifty, his first in ODIs.
Score Board
Pakistan won toss
Pakistan
Nasir Jamshed c Sikandar b Chatara 1
Ahmed Shehzad c Taylor b Chatara 0
Haris Sohail c Williams b Sikandar 27
*Misbah c Williams b Chatara 73
†Umar Akmal b Williams 33
Shahid Afridi b Williams 0
Sohaib Maqsood c & b Mupariwa 21
Wahab Riaz not out 54
Sohail Khan not out 6
Extras (lb 3, w 17) 20
Total (7 wickets; 50 overs) 235
Did not bat: Rahat Ali, M Irfan
Fall: 1-1, 2-4, 3-58, 4-127, 5-127, 6-155, 7-202
Bowling: Panyangara 10-1-49-0 (2w); Chatara 10-2-35-3 (6w); Mupariwa 8-1-36-1 (3w); Williams 10-1-48-2 (1w); Masakadza 3-0-14-0; Chigumbura 1-0-7-0 (4w); Sikandar 7-0-34-1; Mire 1-0-9-0 (1w)
Zimbabwe
C J Chibhabha c Haris b Irfan 9
Sikandar Raza c Haris b Irfan 8
H Masakadza c Misbah b Irfan 29
†B R M Taylor c Umar b Wahab 50
S C Williams c Ahmed b Rahat 33
C R Ervine c Umar b Wahab 14
S F Mire c Umar b Irfan 8
*E Chigumbura c Umar b Wahab 35
T Mupariwa c Umar b Wahab 0
T Panyangara run out 10
T L Chatara not out 0
Extras (b 3, lb 2, w 13, nb 1) 19
Total (all out; 49.4 overs) 215
Fall: 1-14, 2-22, 3-74, 4-128, 5-150, 6-166, 7-168, 8-168, 9-215, 10-215
Bowling: Irfan 10-2-30-4 (3w); Sohail 10-0-45-0; Rahat 10-0-37-1 (1nb, 4w); Wahab 9.4-1-45-4 (2w); Shahid 10-1-53-0
Result: Pakistan won by 20 runs
Points: Pakistan 2, Zimbabwe 0
Man of the Match: Wahab Riaz (Pakistan)
Umpires: R A Kettleborough (England) and J S Wilson (West Indies). TV umpire: P R Reiffel. Match referee: J J Crowe (New Zealand)