Pakistan round off whitewash with final thumping of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s best batting effort of the series was not enough to prevent a 131 run loss to Pakistan on Sunday in Bulawayo.
For the tourists Fakhar Zaman blasted his way into the record books as the fastest man to reach 1000 ODI runs on his way to an 85 that would see him pass 500 runs in the series.
On the day though Fakhar was outdone by opening partner Imam-ul-Haq (110) and Babar Azam who reach hundreds.
Shoaib Malik (18) and Asif Ali (18) perished in pursuit of quick runs meaning skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed came out to bat for the first time since the opening ODI.
Sarfaraz (6*) was the foil for Babar (106*) to fire Pakistan to 364 for 4.
Zimbabwe showed a great deal more application than they have all series long in their reply but the pace was such that they never looked like getting close to the target.
Each of the Zimbabwe batsmen spent some time at the crease but none reached fifty though Ryan Murray (47) and Peter Moor (44*) came close.
Hassan Ali (2/55) and Mohammad Nawaz (2/47) shared the four wickets between them as Zimbabwe managed 233 for 4 in their fifty overs.
Zimbabwe skipper Hamilton Masakadza revealed the team had not even set out to chase down the score but rather to make it to 250: “Starts all the way down, but no one really pushed on. We spoke about wanting someone to push on, but that didn’t happen. We wanted to get to 250. I think a few of the guys are new to international cricket, and this series has shown how big a gap there is, and how much work remains to be done before our next series.”
Sarfaraz was happy with his team’s effort in Pakistan: “Great team effort, we wanted to finish on a high note, and Fakhar, Imam and Babar responded brilliantly. We need a one-month rest, we’ll go home and then back to training for the Asia Cup. A couple of big Test series too, after that.”
Latest
-
County Cricket
Essex’s slim hopes of winning County Championship dented by Northamptonshire
Essex need at least 400 to have any chance of claiming top spot.
-
England
Matthew Mott: Jofra Archer ‘desperate to play but realistic’ ahead of World Cup
The 28-year-old is not expected to be ready to return to action until the tournament is close to a conclusion.
-
County Cricket
Umpire Sue Redfern makes history in County Championship match at Glamorgan
Redfern became the first woman to stand as an umpire in a men’s first-class match in England and Wales.
-
England
England’s summer ends in soggy fashion and prompts a call for innovation
The one-day international against Ireland at Bristol was abandoned.
-
England
England win ODI series against Ireland after play is abandoned at Bristol
Ben Duckett had scored a century and Phil Salt 61 off just 28 balls before rain stopped play.
-
England
Marcus Trescothick says Andrew Flintoff ‘sprinkling gold-dust’ on England team
Flintoff was initially enlisted for four ODIs against New Zealand but has hung around for the Ireland series.
-
England
Axed Jason Roy urged to remain positive with World Cup role still a possibility
The big-hitting opener was replaced by Harry Brook in England’s squad for the World Cup.
-
England
ECB unable to commit to ICEC report’s equal pay targets for men and women
The ICEC report said women were treated as “second class citizens” in cricket.
-
England
ECB set to publish response to damning report on discrimination in cricket
Richard Thompson, chair of the ECB, unreservedly apologised when the ICEC’s findings were published in June.