Published: May 22, 2015, 09:07 PM (IST)
Edited: May 22, 2015, 09:07 PM (IST)
International cricket returned to Pakistan with Zimbabwe posting a competitive total of 172 for six in the first T20 International at Lahore. Elton Chigumbura’s strokefilled 54 and Hamilton Masakadza’s good knock upfront helped Zimbabwe get to a good total. Pakistan will now have to face the pressure of chasing that in front of their home supporters. Considering the short boundaries, with the ropes pulled in, they will fancy their chances. Live Blog: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, 1st T20I
The excitement could be felt even if one was miles away from Lahore. The crowd had gathered to welcome international cricket with the fervour apparent. In the middle, Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first on a good looking surface. As soon as Shahid Afridi came on to speak at the toss, there was a loud roar from the crowd. They had missed this all these years! It was fitting that Afridi was leading them. Ahsan Raza, the umpire injured in those attacks in 2009 was one of the appointed officials. Live Scorecard: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, 1st T20I
Once the dust settled, the cricketing action began with Anwar Ali bowling to Hamilton Masakadza. The action began in the next over with Masakadza welcoming Mohammad Sami back to international cricket with a couple of boundaries. It was Masakadza who set the tone early with Vusi Sibanda only working the strike over. The highlight of Masakadza’s strokeplay was the way he played through the leg-side. Deliveries were clipped fine and a few were picked across the line; one of them going all the way.
At 58 for no loss in the seventh over, Zimbabwe looked stable and in control with Masakadza eyeing a fifty. Sami came in and got the breakthroughs. Sibanda was out pulling as he top-edged. Masakada dragged one back onto his stumps. That meant that Sami was on a hat-trick. Afridi held the experienced seamer back for the slog overs. The hat-trick ball was a yorker to Sikandar Raza, who managed to keep it out well. It would have been some comeback had Sami got it as he would have been the only bowler to get a hat-trick in all the formats in international cricket.
Pakistan managed to pull things back in that phase. Charles Coventry, making his international comeback, announced himself with a few boundaries. However, he was unlucky to be given out caught behind as the ball hit his shoulder and was taken by Sarfraz Ahmed. Sean Williams managed a small knock, but was dismissed playing one-shot too many. In fact, Pakistan would have been in a much better position had Safraz collected a couple of stumping chances. Chigumbura, one of the beneficiaries, was to go on to anchor Zimbabwe through that phase and help them to a competitive total.
In the 18th over, Chigumbura took on Wahab, smashing a couple of fours to move close to 50. Zimbabwe also managed to cross 150 then, hurtling along to a good total. In the next over he got his fifty with a huge six off Sami over fine-leg. Chigumbura managed 54 before he was bowled in the final over.
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) vs Pakistan.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)
