Debutants Help Pakistan Seal 5-0 Zimbabwe Clean Sweep
Abdur Rauf (centre) celebrates the wicket of Hamilton Masakadza (right).
©REUTERS/Mohsin Raza (PAKISTAN) Picture Supplied by Action Images
Brendan Taylor (left) is bowled by Shoaib Malik (not in picture), watched by Sarfraz Ahmed (right).
©REUTERS/Mohsin Raza (PAKISTAN) Picture Supplied by Action Images
181 (Taylor 50, Abdur Rauf 3-45, Wahab Riaz 2-19) v
Pakistan 187-3 (Younus Khan 63, Khurram Manzoor 50) in Sheikhupura
Scorecard
Pakistan won by seven wickets and won the series 5-0
Debutants Khurram Manzoor, Abdur Rauf and Wahab Riaz played starring roles as Pakistan easily wrapped up a 5-0 series clean sweep by beating Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final one-day international in Shekhupura.
Chasing 182 to win after fast bowlers Rauf and Riaz shared five wickets, opening batsman Manzoor hit 50 from 73 balls and Younus Khan 63 from 51 to set their side on the way to victory.
Ray Price removed both batsmen with Nasir Jamshed the only other batsman to fall, caught by Keith Dabengwa off of Elton Chigumbura for 19 as Pakistan needed only 31 overs to complete the game.
Misbah-ul-Haq ended the match with a six to remain unbeaten on 31; Fawad Alam was 14 not out.
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 181 with only Brendan Taylor, who hit 50, making any impression with the bat as Rauf took three wickets.
Already 4-0 down in the series, Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat but were soon in trouble losing Hamilton Masakadza (six), Vusi Sibanda (18) and Tatenda Taibu (six) before the score had reached 50.
Rauf's fellow debutant Riaz picked up two wickets, those of Taibu and Sean Williams (19) as Pakistan quickly took control.
Taylor's 50 came off of 78 balls and included five fours but he was dismissed one ball later, bowled by Shoaib Malik, who then quickly accounted for Chamu Chibhabha, trapped in front for one.
At 154 for seven, there was little hope for Zimbabwe, and after Elton Chigumbura had hit 34, they quickly collapsed with Rauf taking the last two wickets to fall in consecutive deliveries in the 46th over.
Pakistan will now start preparations ahead of the visit of world champions Australia in March while Zimbabwe return to Africa to compete in the MTN Domestic One-Day Championship in South Africa.
© Cricket World 2008
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