Pakistan tour: Zim bravado missing on pitch

pak-vs-zimDingilizwe Ntuli Sports Editor
THE Zimbabwe national cricket squad displayed commendable bravery by becoming the first Test-playing nation to visit Pakistan in six years but failed to translate that courage into positive results in their two T20 and three one-day internationals (ODI) at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

No top-level international cricket had been played in Pakistan since gunmen attacked a convoy carrying the Sri Lanka team and Test match officials in 2009, and killed security personnel and civilians.

Since then, Pakistan had played its home games in the United Arab Emirates until Zimbabwe landed despite grave warnings by the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association that the risk of touring the subcontinent country was “unmanageable” and unacceptable.

For daring to ignore the security warnings, Zimbabwe were given a heroes’ welcome in a cricket mad country and despite playing thousands of kilometres away from home, they had a noisy band of Pakistanis, who backed them, perhaps as a way of trying to convince other Test-playing nations that it was safe to tour their country.

However, support from Pakistani fans and their courage proved futile as Zimbabwe went on to lose the T20 series 2-0 and ODI series 2-0.

Although not many cricket followers expected Zimbabwe to win a series in Pakistan, it was the way they succumbed to the hosts that left a bitter taste.

It has never been in dispute that Zimbabwean cricket has gone many notches down in the past decade, but their performances when afforded an opportunity to play against quality opponents ensures that top cricket playing countries remain reluctant to date Zimbabwe.

While the batting order was not that bad, the bowling attack delivered far too many loose balls and paid dearly for it as they were blasted all around the Gaddafi Stadium.

Zimbabwe knew before accepting the invitation to tour Pakistan a few months back that pitches in the subcontinent country support spin bowling rather than seam or swing. And since they knew that they would be playing at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where the conditions support reverse-swing, and afford little assistance for pace, bounce, or lateral air movement, they should have adequately prepared.

Medium pace bowlers have recorded very little success on such pitches and fast bowlers can only take wickets if they have speeds of around 130KM/hour, yet no one in the Zimbabwean attack possesses such pace.

Concentration should have been on spin meaning Sean Williams’ slow left-arm orthodox, the legbreak googly of Graeme Cremer and Prosper Utseya’s offbreaks should have had more success compared to the medium and pace attack they had little effect in the four matches played.

In the first T20 match that Pakistan won by five wickets after overhauling Zimbabwe’s score of 172-6 by making 173-5 with three balls to spare, the hosts’ Mukhtar Ahmed punished the visitors’ attack smashing 83 runs off just 45 balls.

Cremer was the most successful bowler claiming 2-28 from his four overs while Chris Mpofu was the most expensive conceding 32 runs for no wicket with his fast medium pace.

Mpofu made amends in the second T20 that Zimbabwe lost by two wickets with his figures of 2-25 from his allotted four overs. He was ably supported by Williams with 2-32. Zimbabwe failed to defend a total of 175-3 as Pakistan hit 176-8.

In the first ODI, Pakistan went in to bat first scoring 375-3 with Shoaib Malik scoring 112 off 76 balls which included 12 fours and two sixes. Zimbabwe’s bowlers also failed to remove Mohammad Hafeez from knocking 86.

Pakistan used their spinners well restricting the visitors to 334-5 with skipper Elton Chigumbura smashing a career best 117 off 95 balls. Hamilton Masakadza scored 73 runs but the rest did not stay long at the crease.

Zimbabwe made 268-7 in the second ODI with Sikandar Raza scoring an unbeaten 100 off 84 balls while Chamu Chibhabha was the other significant scorer with 99 off 100 balls.

In reply, Pakistan made 269-4 and again the bowling attack somehow let down Raza and Chibhabha who had played their best innings in a long while.

That Williams conceded 53 runs for no wicket in his 10 overs, Brian Vitori 0-52 in eight overs, Tinashe Panyangara 0-42 and is testament that Zimbabwe lack diversity in their attack and that ill-suited approach was spectacularly exposed.

Zimbabwe simply need to get back to the basics to resurrect their cricket and restore their battered reputation as the whipping boys of the gentlemen’s game.

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