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Pakistan welcome international cricket with 5-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in 1st T20I

Chasing 173 to win, Pakistan were put on course by openers Mukhtar and Shehzad.

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Ahmed Shehzad (above) put up a 142-run opening stand with Mukhtar Ahmed © Getty Images
Ahmed Shehzad (above) put up a 142-run opening stand with Mukhtar Ahmed © Getty Images

Pakistan welcomed international cricket in Lahore with a comprehensive five-wicket victory in the first T20 International against Zimbabwe. Chasing 173 to win, Mukhtar Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad treated the crowd to some great strokeplay. Mukhtar, playing only his second T20I, dominated the bowling from the outset, picking deliveries on a length and smashing them all-over. Once Pakistan had raced to 60 inside five overs, Zimbabwe were always behind the eight-ball. The openers were not done there as they continued to pile the misery during their 142-run stand. Zimbabwe fought hard, taking it to the last over, but the home side were always favourites once they got that start.  READ: How much the world has changed since Pakistan last hosted international cricket

This was an occasion not only for the Pakistan team but also for their fans, who haven’t had international cricket for six years. Mukhtar and Shehzad made up for an average bowling and fielding performance to add to the festivities. Remember, Pakistan come into this series after a whitewash in the one-day games in Bangladesh. Though the enormity of the occasion may have taken precedence, victory was a priority for Shahid Afridi and his men. The crowd was in, cheering every run scored by Pakistan. The city that witnessed those attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus came alive. Ahsan Raza, he umpire injured in that attack, was the official for this game. Everything was fitting the occasion.

Watching Mukhtar and Shehzad bat was a breath of fresh air. Pakistan hasn’t seen international cricket, at a time when T20 has taken the world by storm. In 2009, T20 cricket was at its nascent stages and hadn’t been the phenomenon it is. Mukhtar is one of those players perhaps meant for T20 and was picked to enforce himself on the game. His aggression upfront put Pakistan on course, with Shehzad also joining the party with his fifty.

The openers put up a stand of 142 in 13.2 overs before Shehzad was caught at point for 55. Mukhtar had a good chance of getting his ton but then holed out for 83 off 45 balls. A century would have been a well-deserved milestone on the historic day. Things slowed down a touch as Pakistan inched closer, but the result was never in doubt. Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal were dismissed as the game went into the last over.

With six needed off the last ball, Shoaib Malik hit the first ball for a couple before Tinashe Panyangara was bowled him next ball. Afridi walked out and smashed his first ball down the ground for a four. That too was an occasion in itself as he has been their hero for years.

Looking back though, Pakistan would know that they would have to improve on a few areas despite the victory. For starters, they could have finished the game more clinically. There were a few poor efforts in the field, a dropped catch and a couple of missed stumpings. Zimbabwe were looking good once Hamilton Masakadza had started off very well. His innings of 43 upfront helped Zimbabwe set the tone for the innings. There was a wobble in the middle, which allowed Pakistan to come back.

Mohammad Sami, now a 34-year-old seamer looking slightly heavier, returned to international cricket in this game. Off his first two deliveries, he was smashed for two boundaries by Masakadza. However, in his second over, Sami struck by dismissing both openers off consecutive balls. He bowled the hat-trick ball in the slog overs, a yorker which was well played by Sikandar Raza. Pakistan vs Zimbabwe 2015: Complete Coverage

Zimbabwe were then guided by skipper Elton Chigumbura, whose innings of 54 helped them put up a good score. Chigumbura benefited from one of Sarfraz Ahmed’s lapses behind the stumps. He made the most of it with a good innings, shifting gears in the slog overs. Zimbabwe would have felt they had a good score, but with the boundaries pulled inside, Pakistan were always in with a better chance given the presence of some big hitters in their line-up. Mukhtar put his hand up to be counted amongst them.

Brief scores:

Zimbabwe 172 for 6 in 20 overs (Hamilton Masakadza 43, Elton Chigumbura 54; Mohammad Sami 3 for 36, Wahab Riaz 2 for 38) lost to Pakistan 173 for 5 in 19.3 overs (Mukhtar Ahmed 83, Ahmed Shehzad 55; Graeme Cremer 2 for 27 ) by five wickets.

Man of the Match: Mukhtar Ahmed.

Full scorecard

(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)

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