Ghulam’s maiden ton power Pakistan to series win

After the shocking loss in the opening ODI, Pakistan came back well in the second game and followed it up with another commanding show to clinch the series 2-1. Kamran Ghulam’s 99-ball 103, with support from the rest of the batters, powered Pakistan to 303/6 in the third ODI in Bulawayo on Thursday (November 28). In reply, Zimbabwe were skittled out for 204 in 40.1 overs, with Pakistan coming up with a collective bowling performance.

Opting to bat, Pakistan rode on a 58-run opening partnership to get off to a solid start. After a watchful beginning in the first two overs, Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique struck regular boundaries in the first powerplay, including a couple of sixes in the first 10 overs. Ayub, though, fell against the run of play as he picked the fielder at deep square leg to give Faraz Akram a wicket. Shafique was joined by Ghulam as they put on a half-century stand, but the strike rate in the partnership was under 80. Shafique reached a 66-ball fifty before being trapped in front by Sikandar Raza.

Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan then combined for a partnership worth 89 runs off 92 balls. Ghulam, who got to fifty off 59 balls, cleared the fence regularly as he helped Pakistan up the ante. From 132/2 after 30 overs they reached 201 after 40, but Rizwan got out to Raza after a miscue to long-on. Ghulam went on to register his maiden ODI ton before falling to Richard Ngarava. The dismissal, however, was only a momentary respite for Zimbabwe as Pakistan’s batters were prolific in the last 10 overs, scoring 102 runs. Handy contributions from Salman Agha (30 off 26) and Tayyab Tahir (29* off 16) helped Pakistan score 69 runs in the last five overs, with 23 of those runs came in the 46th over bowled by Akram.

Zimbabwe suffered early setbacks in the chase as Ayub picked up the wickets of Joylord Gumbie and Dion Myers in the third over. Gumbie failed to keep the pull down while Myers played the sweep straight to deep backward square. Craig Ervine and Tadiwanashe Marumani tried to steady Zimbabwe with a brisk 39-run stand. But another innocuous delivery produced a wicket as Marumani was early into a pull against Abrar Ahmed and got out lbw. Ervine was joined by Sean Williams as Zimbabwe made another bid to build a partnership but a 41-run association ended with Williams chopping a Haris Rauf delivery onto the stumps, leaving the hosts at 90/4 in the 18th over.

Zimbabwe rested their hopes on Ervine and Raza to get them back on track but following a 33-run stand, both batters fell to Aamer Jamal in quick succession as the hosts slipped to 130/6 in the 28th over. Brian Bennett decided to counter-attack, smashing a quick-fire 37 before becoming Abrar’s second wicket, and Akram fell soon after. Zimbabwe’s lower order showed some fight as Ngarava and Clive Madande kept Pakistan waiting for a while before the visitors wrapped it up in the 41st over.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 303/6 in 50 overs (Kamran Ghulam 103, Abdullah Shafique 50; Sikandar Raza 2-47) beat Zimbabwe 204 in 40.1 overs (Craig Ervine 51, Brian Bennett 37; Aamer Jamal 2-19) by 99 runs.