Pakistan thrash Zimbabwe to secure series win
Faheem Ashraf took five wickets for Pakistan as a dominant nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe sealed a straightforward one-day international series win.
Pakistan had already secured two comfortable victories in the series, but they humiliated the hosts in this third match as Faheem’s first international five-for ended Zimbabwe’s innings after just over 25 overs.
His figures of 5-22 led the way, while Junaid Khan moved onto 99 ODI wickets with a pair, as Pakistan were set a simple target of 68.
Fakhar Zaman was again the tourists’ main man and his 43, off just 24 balls, secured his side an unassailable 3-0 series lead.
For his match winning spell of bowling (5 for 22), @iFaheemAshraf is the Man of the Match.#ZIMvPAK pic.twitter.com/LJjNCgPp1y
— PCB Official (@TheRealPCB) July 18, 2018
Hamilton Masakadza’s half-century had allowed Zimbabwe to post a more respectable score last time out, but he contributed to a dismal start as, following Prince Masvaure’s dismissal, the captain went to Junaid.
Tarisai Musakanda soon followed as Junaid edged closer towards a century of wickets, before Peter Moor, another half-centurion in the second match, bowed out, too, for Faheem’s first wicket.
Faheem took the next two wickets as Zimbabwe scraped past their lowest ever total of 35 and he soon completed the job by removing Richard Ngarava’s off stump.
A comfortable chase hit a rocky start when Imam-ul-Haq was caught behind off Blessing Muzarabani’s opening delivery, but it was all one-way traffic from then on.
Babar Azam joined Fakhar and they required less than 10 overs to reach 69-1, with the final two overs bringing seven fours that eased Pakistan to victory.
