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Rediff.com  » Sports » Pakistan complete clean sweep over Zimbabwe

Pakistan complete clean sweep over Zimbabwe

February 02, 2008 18:03 IST
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Pakistan completed a clean sweep over Zimbabwe on Saturday when they won the fifth and final one-day international by seven wickets.

Debutant pacemen Abdul Rauf and Wahab Riaz shared five wickets to dismiss Zimbabwe for 181 in 45.4 overs after they had elected to bat first.

Opener Khurrum Manzoor, also making his debut, scored a fluent 50 and put on 97 runs from 100 balls with Younis Khan (63) to seal victory with 19 overs to spare.

Younis played in an attacking mode to enthrall the full house at the stadium which has not hosted an international game for nine years.

He attacked from the start, hitting eight fours and a big six off Elton Chigumbura who went for 14 in one over.

His runs came from just 51 balls before he was caught at mid-on by Hamilton Masakadza off left-arm spinner, Ray Price who was impressive on a day when all the visiting bowlers were treated harshly by the batsmen with Christopher Mpofu going for 23 in three overs.

Price also bowled Manzoor in the next over after he had reached his half-century. Manzoor, who hit six fours in his 74-ball innings, was bowled off-stump trying to sweep Price.

Manzoor and opener Nasir Jamshed gave a quick start of 40 to their team in 6.1 overs before the latter was out for 19 trying to hit Chigumbura out of the ground and holing out to Keith Dabengwa at long-on.

Misbah-ul-Haq (31 not out) and Fawad Alam (14 not out) sealed the match in the 31st over with a flourish. Misbah hitting a big six off Dabengwa.

Zimbabwe struggled throughout their innings, losing five wickets for 67 runs before Brendan Taylor (49) and Chigumbura (34) rescued them with an 85-run stand from 135 balls.

Both Rauf and left armer Wahab Riaz were impressive in their first international appearance, bowling at a nippy pace.

Rauf finished off the Zimbabwe innings by yorking Price and Mpofu with successive balls in the 46th over.

He finished with three for 45 and Riaz two for 19 as Pakistan gave caps to four new players in the match.

"It's a very good result for us but we need to do a lot more work to be ready for the Australians," Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik told reporters.

"We need to do our homework in advance for the Australians. And we will start training in two weeks' time. The good thing is the infusion of new players means we have more options."

Pakistan host the world's top side for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match starting next month. (Editing by John Mehaffey)

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