We wonder if Pakistan even paid any attention to this game. Their win was so effortless, it took little thought at all. There was no need for a tough fight, no need for strategic thought. The Pakistan team bowled superbly and they batted even better. The team never even got out of second gear and they didn’t need to!

Fakhar Zaman definitely didn’t struggle to get off the mark. It was effortless, even Babar Azam needn’t have waited for his arm fracture to recover, he could have easily played the game with a cast still on and the outcome wouldn’t have differed much.

The Zimbabwe team appeared to simply be going through the motions. There didn’t seem to be any real attempt to beat Pakistan’s top order. If there was an attempt, it didn’t really come across. Teenager Liam Roche was on the receiving end of a tribulation he’s likely to forever be scarred by. The game came to an end with a tame wide down leg size and a Zimbabwe team thanking the heavens that they could get off the pitch.

pakistan-zimbabwe-fakhar-zaman

Source: ESPN Cricinfo

There is still no loss of pride for the host team here. Zimbabwe may have faltered this game, but they did so against Pakistan’s best eleven. All while the Zimbabwe team has eight first choice-players unavailable!

In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe made the decision to bat first and instantly found themselves on the back foot with only three runs and a wicket lost in the first four overs. The out of shape and form Masakadza lumbered up to the crease in what looked like a dark and cloudy day for Zimbabwe, and we’re not just talking about the weather. However, partnering up with Musakanda they performed the brightest phase of play in the entire game. They both picked up the pace and forced Pakistan onto the back foot for under an hour.

Musakanda unluckily adjudged lbw, and Hasan Ali’s delivery looked like it would have gone to miss leg stump. This decision ended up shaping the majority of Zimbabwe’s innings as the host team lost momentum faster than expected. Pete Moor and Murray attempted to add more runs but they just didn’t have it in them to carry the team.

Pete Moor did manage to score a half-century, but that was hardly enough to lift the spirits of this understaffed, underpaid and under-resourced team. With three more games to go, we doubt anyone will be counting down the days as closely as Zimbabweans.

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 By: Noha Abuhadra