Damp squib to the desert storm

Pakistan took a significant step in their rebuilding process, thrasing Zimbabwe by eight wickets with a near-flawless performance in the fin...

Pakistan took a significant step in their rebuilding process, thrasing Zimbabwe by eight wickets with a near-flawless performance in the final of the four-nation one-day tournament here today to clinch their 12th title at this venue.

Coming in to the tournament after a humiliating first round exit from the World Cup last month, Pakistan, which dumped eight of their top stars, easily achieved a meagre target set by Zimbabwe to register their fourth win in a row.

SCOREBOARD

Zimbabwe: C.Wishart c Rashid Latif b Mohammad Sami 0; D.Marillier b Mohammad Sami 14; G.Rennie c Rashid Latif b Mohammad Sami 6; G.Flower c Younis Khan b Shoaib Malik 7; T.Taibu not out 74; S.Ervine c Rashid Latif b Shoaib Malik 25; D.Ebrahim c Shoaib Malik b Danish Kaneria 13; H.Streak lbw Mohammad Hafeez 0; A.Blignaut c and b Mohammad Hafeez 3; R.Price lbw Danish Kaneria 1; D.Hondo c Yousuf Youhana b Shoaib Malik 9; Extras (lb-4, nb-4, w-8): 16
Total (All out, in 49.1 overs): 168
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-19, 3-22, 4-36, 5-82, 6-122, 7-123, 8-127, 9-133
Bowling: Mohammad Sami 10-0-44-3, Umar Gul8-0-24-0, Shoaib Malik 9.1-1-29-3, Abdul Razzaq 6-0-21-0, Danish Kaneria 10-1-32-2, Mohammad Hafeez 6-0-14-2.
Pakistan: M Hafeez c Wishart b Streak 2; T Umar not out 81; F Iqbal c Rennie b Streak 6; Y Youhana not out 61; Extras (lb-5, w-16, nb-1): 22
Total (For 2 wkts, in 35.2 overs): 172
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-28.
Bowling: Streak 8-0-35-2, Blignaut 9-0-50-0, Ervine 3-0-18-0, Price 10-1-31-0, Hondo 2-0-14-0, Marillier 3-0-14-0, Ebrahim 0.2-0-5-0

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Zimbabwe, another team in a turmoil, could score just 168 runs after electing to bat in the day-night game, mainly due to a magnificent unbeaten half-century from the young wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu who made 74 runs.

The target could hardly extend the Pakistanis who put up another polished performance to romp home in 35.2 overs, cruising to 172 losing just two wickets in the process.

The young guns, who have put up an impressive performance in this tournament, were once again at the forefront of Pakistan’s victory. Speedster Mohammad Sami and off-spinner Shoaib Malik claimed three wickets each while Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Hafeez took two each to share the bounty between themselves. (PTI)