Source: All Africa

Paul Munyuki
Harare

TAWANDA MUPARIWA’S career best bowling figures of 4-46 and half centuries from Sean Williams and Brandon Taylor could not stop a Shahid Afridi-inspired Pakistan from powering their way to a 37-run victory in the third ODI at Multan yesterday.

The hosts - who are now 3-0 up in the five-match ODI series - have now won the Mobilink Cup following their latest victory.

Yesterday, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat and posted 272-9 with Afridi the dominant factor as he slammed six sixes to equal the world record for most sixes in a one-day international career.

In reply, Zimbabwe were restricted to 235-7.

Mupariwa, drafted in as a replacement for captain Prosper Utseya, who was ruled out due to an ankle injury, trapped Younis Khan (10) leg-before wicket with his first delivery of the match.

With his first delivery of the next over, Mupariwa dismissed Nasir Jamshed (32), caught by Chamu Chibhabha at mid-wicket to leave Pakistan at 70-3

But Pakistan have always relied on Afridi to turn things around and his 52-ball 85, turned the pendulum their way.

Afridi holds the world record for scoring the fastest one-day hundred - off 37 balls against Sri Lanka at Nairobi in 1997 — and has now equalled Sanath Jayasuriya’s 245 sixes hit in 403 matches.

This was Afridi’s 252nd match.

Zimbabwe battled in their chase of 273, in particular Williams (71 off 101) and Taylor (55 off 76) but, as has been the case at various points on this tour, they let healthy advantages slip.

Williams and Taylor shared a defiant 105-run stand for the fourth wicket, but they failed to meet the required run-rate.

Pakistan paceman Sohail Tanveer had Zimbabwe in trouble early as he dismissed Vusi Sibanda (six) and stand-in captain Hamilton Masakadza (10) before Tatenda Taibu (10) was run out.

Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik had Taylor stumped, while Afridi accounted for Williams as both fell in the space of 11 runs.

Another meaningful contribution came from Elton Chigumbura, who remained unbeaten on 42 off 52 balls.

Scorecard

Pakistan Innings

Butt c Taylor b Chigumbura 23

Jamshed c Chibhabha b Mupariwa 32

Y. Khan lbw b Mupariwa 10

Yousuf c and b Mupariwa 5

Malik run out 3

Misbah-ul Haq c Chigumbura b Williams 44

Afridi c Masakadza b Mupariwa 85

Akmal c Chibhabha b Brent 28

Hussain not out 28

Tanveer c Brent b Chibhabha 2

Arafat not out 0

Extras: (w12) 12

Total: (for nine wkts) 272

F-o-W: 1-47 (Butt), 2-66 (Younis), 3-70 (Jamshed), 4-76 (Malik), 5-78 (Yousuf), 6-194 (Afridi), 7-219 (Misbah), 8-259 (Akmal), 9-267 (Tanveer)

Bowling: Chigumbura 10-2-36-1, Brent 9-3-34-1 (3w), Mupariwa 10-0-46-4 (1w), Price 10-0-50-0 (2w), Chibhabha 3-0-32-1 (3w), Dabengwa 4-0-35-0 (3w), Masakadza 1-0-15-0, Williams 3-0-24-1.

Zimbabwe Innings

Sibanda c Akmal b Tanveer 6

Masakadza c Younis b Tanveer 10

Williams c Malik b Afridi 71

Taibu run out 10

Taylor st Akmal b Malik 55

Chigumbura not out 42

Chibhabha c Misbah b Malik 10

Dabengwa lbw b Hussain 0

Brent not out 13

Extras: (b2, lb4, w12) 18

Total: (for seven wkts) 235

Did not bat: Price, Mupariwa.

F-o-W: 1-10 (Sibanda), 2-26 (Masakadza), 3-50 (Taibu), 4-155 (Taylor), 5-166 (Williams), 6-187 (Chibhabha), 7-189 (Dabengwa)

Bowling: Tanveer 10-1-41-2 (5w), Hussain 10-0-35-1 (1w), Arafat 10-0-41-0, Afridi 10-0-60-1 (6w), Malik 10-0-52-2.

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Tags: Mobilink Cup, Shahid Afridi, TAWANDA MUPARIWA, third ODI at Multan