HARARE, March 28: Opener Aamir Sohail smashed a typically cavalier 77 to spur Pakistan to a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the first one-day cricket international at Harare Sports Club today.Pakistan, facing Zimbabwe's 236 for six in their 50 overs, recovered from a shaky start to ease home at 237 for six with 14 balls to spare.
Man-of-the-match Aamir was supported by Ijaz Ahmed, with a confident 43, Shahid Afridi, who hammered 30 off 20 balls, and Yousaf Youhana, who finished the job by stroking a polished 59 not out.
Earlier, paceman Heath Streak lashed a career-best 48 not out off 57 deliveries to give Zimbabwe a respectable score on a good one-day pitch.
SCOREBOARD
ZIMBABWE: G Flower c Latif b Mahmood 32, A Campbell c & b Mahmood 36, M Goodwin b Afridi 35, A Flower c Latif b Akhtar 5, G Whittall c I Ahmed b Afridi 42, Streak not out 48 C Evans c Latif b Afridi 5, P Strang not out 15. Extras (lb 6, nb 3, w 9): 18.Total (for six wickets, 50 overs): 236Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-80,3-95, 4-154, 5-171, 6-187.
Bowling: Akram 10-0-52-0, Younis 8-0-55-0, Mahmood 9-1-34-2, Akhtar 5-0-10-1, Shahid Afridi 10-1-45-2, Sohail 8-0-34-0.
Pakistan: A Sohail c Campbell b Evans 77, Inzamam-ul Haq c Mbangwa b Streak 0, M Waseem c A Whittall b G Whittall 3, Ijaz Ahmed c G Flower b Evans 43, Y Youhana not out 59, S Afridi c Evans b Goodwin 30, A Mahmood c Evans b G Whittall 13, W Akram not out 2. Extras (b 2, lb 1, w 7):10. Total (for six wickets in 47.4 overs): 237
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-27, 3-121, 4-137, 5-198, 6-226.
Bowling: Streak 10-0-48-1, Mbangwa 10-1-34-0, G Whittall 9.4-1-35-2, A Whittall 4-0-27-0, Evans 9-0-50-2, G Flower 2-0-15-0, Goodwin 1-0-13-1, Viljoen 2-0-12-0.
Man of the Match: Aamir Sohail
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
