Hafeez Stars In 85-Run Pakistan Victory Over Zimbabwe

Hafeez Stars In 85-Run Pakistan Victory Over Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe were well beaten in Harare in the opening Twenty20 International

©REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo (ZIMBABWE - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Pakistan 198-4 (Mohammad Hafeez 71) beat
Zimbabwe 113 (Hafeez 4-10) by 85 runs
First Twenty20 International, Harare
Scorecard

A half-century and then four wickets from Mohammad Hafeez laid the foundations for a comprehensive 85-run win by Pakistan over Zimbabwe in the first Twenty20 International in Harare.

The in-form opening batsman struck 71 in 48 balls to propel the tourists - unbeaten on the tour so far - to 198 for four before his haul of four for ten went a long way towards Zimbabwe being bowled out for 113 in reply.

He hit six fours and two sixes and thanks to contributions of 38 from fellow opener Asad Shafiq and 22 from both Rameez Raja and Umar Akmal, who faced just 11 balls, Pakistan closed just shy of 200 to put the game beyond Zimbabwe.

To their credit, Zimbabwe started off well, scoring quickly but losing wickets, Chamu Chibhabha starring briefly in making 28 in 26 balls and Charles Coventry smacking 30 in just 13 deliveries, but by then, the game was over as a contest.

Hafeez removed Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza (12), Elton Chigumbura (1) and Ray Price (3) in a 14-ball spell that finally ended Zimbabwe's resistance.

The second and final game is on 18th September.

© Cricket World 2011