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WC 2015 PAK vs ZIM: Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz scalp 4 wickets each as Pakistan register first World Cup win

Sports
DC Correspondent
1 March 2015 9:30 AM GMT
Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in thrilling encounter by 20 runs, first points on the board
WC 2015 PAK vs ZIM: Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz scalp 4 wickets each as Pakistan register first World Cup win
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With this win against Zimbabwe, Pakistan now remain hopeful for a place in the quarterfinals. (Photo: AFP)

Brisbane: Misbah-ul-Haq led Pakistan side finally tasted a win as they beat Zimbabwe in a thrilling encounter in the ICC Cricket World Cup Pool B match on Sunday at the Gabba. Winning the toss, the Pakistan skipper elected to bat first. After a very slow start, Pakistan managed to put 235 runs on the board losing seven wickets. Skipper Misbah's 73 and Wahab Riaz's 54 proved to be crucial for Pakistan to reach the decent score. With the ball, Mohammad Irfan and Riaz scalped four wickets each to ensure two points on the board. Wahab Riaz was adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant skills both with the bat and the ball.

Check out: Points table

Here's how the action unfolded:

Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bat first at the Gabba.

Pakistan were off to one of their slowest starts in ODI cricket scoring just under three runs per over. Tendai Chatara struck in his very first over to send Nasir Jamshed back to the dressing room. Jamshed was out in the previous match for a golden duck and here too he didn't show any improvement scoring just the one run.

Pakistan fans, who entered the Gabba on quite a positive note were shattered after they saw their player make the slow walk back to the pavillion.

Chatara was not done. Switching ends, Ahmed Shehzad was left absolutely stunned as the ball kissed the outside edge of the bat and carried to the wicketkeeper. Shehzad had to play at it, because it was very close to off stump. The bastman didn't trouble the scorers at all.

Read: Shahid Afridi and Ahmed Shehzad's love story?

Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq walked in the middle and he along with Harris Sohail were putting up quite a partnership to steer the Pakistan ship. Both the batsmen were scoring at a very poor strike rate and Pakistan were 58-2 after 20 overs with Sohail on 27 off the 43 balls he faced and Misbah on 21 off 57 balls. Sikander Raza, one of Zimbabwe's bright prospects in the future was brought into the attack and struck first blood breaking the slow partnership. Sohail succumbed to a pull short that only found him caught at midwicket.

In what was an unusual sight at the Gabba, the Zimbabwean fans were ecstatic as their team now were easily on top of the game.

Umar Akmal, the new man who walked in was confidently finding the fence regularly. He along with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq put on a 69-run partnership that was vital in increasing the run-rate close to four.

But that partnership was broken, courtesy Sean Williams, who bowled a flat quick one and Akmal made it look an even better delivery as he moved inside the line and was trying to push it through cover only to find the ball crash through the woodwork. Akmal scored a quick 33 off 42 balls that included three boundaries.

Sean Williams was in action again and in the same over (34th), he sent birthday boy Shahid Afridi packing back with a golden duck. A beautiful delivery that angled in flat towards middle and off and turned away from Afridi's bat edged the top of the off stump. That was certainly not the birthday gift Afridi wanted.

The fans though supported Afridi as he walked back and also slipped in the birthday song for him.

Misbah and new man Sohaib Maqsood were busy doing damage control but Zimbabwe struck yet again when Mupariwa bowled one back of a length that saw Maqsood try to whip it away to midwicket. The ball however found the edge of the bat and popped back to the bowler. Mawsood departed for 21 runs off the 17 deliveries he faced.

Sohaib Mawsood's exit saw the entry of Wahab Riaz. After studying the pitch carefully, Riaz started finding the boundary regularly with some crisp hitting and good movement of the feet. Tendai Chitara, who was brought back into the attack straight away got into business removing the danger man Misbah-ul-Haq and thus took three wickets. Misbah tried to scoop the ball over long-on but only ended up being caught on the boundary line by Sean Williams.

But that didn't stop Wahab Riaz from letting lose. Riaz struck a huge six off the very next over that won him applause from the fans.

Riaz and new man Sohail Khan finished off the business end of the Pakistan innings in style striking regular boundaries. Both Riaz and Sohail were however dropped. First Riaz was dropped by Matsikenyeri at deep square leg and then Sohail Khan was lucky as Solomon Mire put down the simplest catch offered to any fielder.

13 runs came off the last over. Not a great total, but not a bad one, considering Pakistan were 4 for 2, and then 14 for 2 after 10 overs.

They could have got more, had either Umar Akmal or Sohaib Maqsood extended their bright starts, but they could have also gotten a lot less. Misbah held the innings together with a painstaking 121-ball 73, and Wahab provided a splendid finish with his unbeaten 54. Some excellent new-ball bowling from Chatara, and Sean Williams took the wind out of Pakistan's innings with two magic balls just when they looked set to accelerate to 250 or 260.

Zimbabwe started off their innings the same way Pakistan did. Chibhabha and Raza opened the batting. After striking a couple of boundaries, Chibhabha fell prey to the huge seven-footer Mohammad Irfan. The Zimbabwe batsman did well to leave the short ball but in the bargain left his bat pointing up, and the ball found the edge and in the end was a simple catch to Harris Sohail at second slip. Chibhabha scored just nine runs.

Hamilton Masakadza was the new man to walk in to join Sikandar Raza. Mohammad Irfan was not done and in the seventh over, the short delivery did the trick again. It was almost like a replay of Chibhabha's wicket and now both openers are back in the dressing room.

Raza also was caught by Sohail at second slip scoring eight runs.

Mohammad Irfan is giving his best shot to keep Pakistan's hopes in the World Cup alive. Coming back for another spell, the Pakistan bowler got straight into business breaking the partnership between Taylor and Masakadza. Skipper Misbah took a brilliant catch on his chest as he backtracked from mid-off to send Masakadza to the pavillion. The Zimbabwe batsman tried to go for the big shot but could not get under it and walked back with 29 runs to his name.

Irfan took a wicket maiden in the same over (22nd). Sean Williams, who was brilliant with the ball put up a strong partnership of 54 runs with Taylor. Both the batsmen were looking dangerous. Taylor also in the meanwhile brought up his half-century.

But the partnership was broken again and this time Wahab Riaz took credit for the damage. Taylor, who was trying to play the leg glance tickled the ball to the keeper and departed for a well-played 50.

Craig Ervine was the new man to enter the crease and both Williams and Ervine were rotating the strike well. Shahid Afridi, who's birthday has been a disappointing one till now was denied a wicket to worsen his day even more. And this time it was none other than keeper Umar Akmal who dropped a sliding length ball poked by Ervine that only popped out of his gloves.

Sean Williams was the next to go after he scooped one straight to Ahmed Shehzad at backward point courtesy Rahat Ali. Williams scored a credible 33 and Zimbabwe, at one point of time were going well with the run-chase now seemed to be getting nervous.

Mohammad Irfan scalped his fourth wicket, Mire falling victim to it with a superb delivery, back of a length and close to off stump. Mire fished uncertainly, not too far from his body, and the ball kissed the shoulder of his bat and Akmal took a simple catch behind the wicket. Mire left back with just eight runs.

Wahab Riaz will remember the 40th over in this match for a long time. The Pakistani speedster first got rid of Craig Ervine with a shortish delivery that stuck in Akmal's gloves. Riaz got some help from the pitch and a disappointed Ervine had to walk back for just 14 runs.

In no time, Mupariwa followed Ervine back to the dressing room. Riaz bowled a much more fuller delivery and the Zimbabwe batsman tried to drive it but the ball found the edge and Akmal caught a safe catch once again. Mupariwa didn't trouble the scorers at all.

Tinashe Panyangara and skipper Elton Chigumbura tried to steer the ship to victory but wasted too many balls. Zimbabwe needed 24 runs in the last over and Wahab Riaz stopped the flow of runs completely and in the bargain Panyangara goes back to the pavillion after a major mix-up in the middle.

The very ball itself Chigumbura tried to go for the hook after Riaz banged it short but the ball found the top edge and wicketkeeper Umar Akmal took his fifth catch of the match. Chigumbura departed for 35 and that sealed the win for a very juibilant Pakistan.

Four wickets for Wahab, four for Irfan. Rahat Ali was also excellent, and the three left-armers have been at the forefront of Pakistan's defence of 235. Zimbabwe looked to be on course to reach the target at various points of the chase, but Pakistan kept chipping away and kept picking up wickets at critical junctures. Brilliant game from Wahab, a critical half-century and a four-for.
With two losses in its opening two matches to archrival India and West Indies, Pakistan had reached crunch time against Zimbabwe at the Gabba. A win has not only boosted the chances of making it to the quarterfinals but also a nice birthday present for veteran batsman Shahid Afridi who celebrates his 34th birthday today. Zimbabwe has one win from its three matches so far, and is coming off a heavy loss to West Indies.

Here are the playing XI:

Veteran batsman Younis Khan, who has struggled with the bat in the first two matches, has been replaced by fast bowler Rahat Ali.

( Source : dc/ap )
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