A dropped catch by skipper Alistair Campbell at first slip off Mbangwa proved a fateful error, as it enabled Saeed to stay on and cart the bowlers to all corners of the ground. Like the true professional that he is, he rode his good fortune and got himself into top gear with a masterly century. His partner, the skillful and solid Wajahatullah Wasti, complemented him perfectlyand at times even matched him for brilliance. He confirmed his undoubted talent with a fluent forty.

Zimbabwe opted to field two leg-spinners in order to allow themselves a chance to pick up wickets in the middle overs and also to add variety to their attack. However, such was the dominance of the opening pair that by the time the spinners came on, Pakistan had already built the foundation for a challenging total and the spin duo had little effect. Just another plan that didn't work for Zimbabwe.

Coming back to Anwar, a lot was expected of him before the World Cup got under way. To give him his due, he looked threatening in the last couple of games, but couldn't convert the 20s and 30s into anything more significant. However, he came good when it mattered, because after three consecutive defeats, Pakistan were desperately looking for runs from the top order. Indeed, a place in the semi-finals was at stake. With most of the pieces falling into place for Pakistan in the game against Zimbabwe, Ijaz Ahmedremains the only experienced top order campaigner who is yet to fire on all cylinders. If he runs into any kind of form in the next stage of the tournament, then Pakistan could well go on to win the Cup. After all, their bowling attack is still the most potent on display in the tournament. The selection of Wasti at the top order paid rich dividends. The young opener looked compact and in command of the situation from the beginning. In the company of Saeed, he helped Pakistan post the highest opening partnership for Pakistan in the tournament. His exclusion from the earlier matches mystified one and all because he seemed to be excellently equipped against a top class South African attack before he was dropped to accommodate the over-the-hill Salim Malik.

When Pakistan are playing well, they look invincible. On the other hand, the mere hint of a downslide triggers a continuous phase of negative play and they inexplicably lose focus. As a result, they have acquired the now familiar tag of being unpredictable.A win against Zimbabwe was therefore vital to get them in the right frame of mind and back to their winning ways.