Pakistan seek to extend lead

BULAWAYO: Pakistan, building up for the 2019 World Cup under the leadership of Sarfraz Ahmed, will seek to extend their lead in the five-match series against Zimbabwe when they play the second ODI here on Monday (today).

Pakistan crushed the hosts by a huge margin of 201 runs in the first ODI with a century from opener Imam-ul-Haq and a four-wicket haul by leg-spinner Shadab Khan.

The series provides Pakistan an opportunity to find constancy within their ODI squad. Opener Imam, who struck his second hundred in only his fifth game, has asserted his place. Along with Fakhar Zaman, he has provided stability in the top order.

After a long time, Pakistan’s batting line-up looks dominant, while offering flexibility and depth. It will be interesting to see if the management will give Mohammad Hafeez due regard in the series. Hafeez instantly returned to Pakistan’s limited-over squads after his bowling action was cleared, but has not burst into the XI as a regular. He played the first two T20 games in the tri-nation series earlier this month, but has been relegated to the bench since.

His exclusion flared up a discussion about dropping a senior player on the road to a World Cup, raising serious doubts about his prominence in Pakistan’s plans.Zimbabwe do not look strong enough to stall Pakistan’s progress, but the young unknown side has a lot to offer.

Zimbabwe are playing against a team that has all its bases covered, but their own biggest strength is that they are not under pressure and have nothing to lose. They had positives in the last game, with Tarisai Musakanda’s brief knock and debutant Ryan Murray’s unbeaten 32.Even with the ball, they managed to keep Pakistan’s run rate in check to some extent, after Pakistan had looked like they would get 350 at one stage.

They are dented by the unavailability of their top players, with the backdrop of friction between the players and the board. Captain Hamilton Masakadza will look at the series as a chance to give the young players in the team a chance to showcase themselves.

Zimbabwe batsman Malcolm Waller has pulled out of the squad citing labour practice law. He didn’t play the opening game, but losing a senior is a blow for Zimbabwe nonetheless. Wicketkeeper Ryan Murray and off-spinner Liam Roche made their debuts in the first ODI, but the squad is still wide open to reshuffling.

A victory by 201 runs doesn’t really call for a change in the XI, but captain Sarfraz Ahmed has suggested he would give opportunity to every reserve.However, he pointed out that wouldn’t happen before they were in an unassailable position in the series.