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)