Zimbabwe pulled off a remarkable 80-run victory over Pakistan in the first One-Day International (ODI) on Sunday using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. Pakistan’s lackluster batting performance and rain interruptions played into Zimbabwe’s hands, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sikandar Raza starred for Zimbabwe with an outstanding all-round display. He scored a vital 39 runs and shared a crucial 62-run partnership with Richard Ngarava, who contributed 48 runs. Their efforts helped Zimbabwe recover from a shaky position and post a total of 205 runs in a rain-affected match.
Zimbabwe’s openers, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Joylord Gumbie, gave a promising start, scoring 40 runs in the first six overs against an inexperienced Pakistani pace attack. However, Pakistan’s spinners, Faisal Akram and Salman Ali Agha, turned the momentum. Akram impressed with figures of 3-24, as Zimbabwe slipped to 125-7 by the 26th over. Raza and Ngarava steadied the innings with their partnership, frustrating the Pakistani bowlers and adding valuable runs before Ngarava’s dismissal for 48.
In response, Pakistan’s chase faltered as Zimbabwe’s bowlers dominated. Blessing Muzarabani exploited the conditions, dismissing Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique early. Pakistan’s top order struggled, managing just 60-6 in 21 overs. Sean Williams and Raza shone with the ball, with Raza delivering a game-changing double strike by dismissing Salman Ali Agha and Haseebullah Khan in consecutive deliveries. Rain further disrupted Pakistan’s chase, halting play with no chance of resumption. Under the DLS method, Zimbabwe was awarded an emphatic 80-run victory.
Notably, Pakistan rested their star batter Babar Azam for the first time in an ODI since 2019, opting to test their bench strength in preparation for the Champions Trophy. Questions have now arisen over Pakistan’s middle-order consistency and strategy against spin, which proved costly in this match.
The second ODI between the teams is set to take place on November 26.
