LIVE – Pakistan v http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 – Match Update
Pakistan got off to a decent start against Zimbabwe in the first One Day International (ODI) of the three match series at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo in Zimbabwe on Thursday, September 8, 2011.
The tourists lost opening batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Younis-Khan-c98325.
The pair put together 73 runs for the second wicket partnership, laying a solid platform for the lower-order players.
Earlier, the Pakistan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 had elected to bat first after winning the toss. The pitch was dry and appeared to be full of runs. However, batting second could be a touch difficult, as the ball might spin more with the passage of time.
Hafeez and Farhat walked out in the middle to open the innings for the Men in Green. The latter was making a comeback to international cricket after he was dropped on poor form last year.
The return did not prove to be an ideal one for the left-handed batsman, as he got out after facing just two balls for his duck. He attempted to cut a short and away swinging delivery, but only managed to edge it to the hands of the wicketkeeper Tatenda
Taibu, who did not make any mistake.
This brought Younis at the crease. He had displayed a very good temperament in the only Test match of the series, but shifted gears in the limited-over format. The veteran player appeared to be in sublime form, as he smashed the bowlers to all parts of the
park.
On the other hand, Hafeez did not take too many risks. He tried to rotate the strike to his aggressive partner at the other end. Both players were batting totally opposite to what they had done in the Test match.
Hafeez got out after scoring 26 runs off 49 deliveries with the help of two fours and one six. He tried to play the slog sweep, but found the fielder at square leg.
At the end of 15 overs, the tourists were 75/2. Younis was batting brilliantly on 46 off 37 balls. He had smashed six boundaries until then. He was joined by Misbah, who was batting on 1 run off 2 balls.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CB-Mpofu-c1219 had picked up 1 wicket each until the end of 15 overs.
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