Daily Times

LAHORE: An unbeaten half-century by Qasim Akram and four wickets from Shahnawaz Dahani helped Pakistan Shaheens beat Zimbabwe Select by five runs on DLS in the third one-day of the six-match series at the Harare Sports Club in Harare, Zimbabwe. This was Shaheens’ first win in the one-day series as the hosts lead the series 2-1. Both sides will now feature in the fourth one-day match at the same venue on Tuesday, 23 May. Chasing 279 to win, the opening pair of Mohammad Huraira (19, 29b, 3x4s) and Saim Ayub (28, 25b, 5x4s) provided a 47-run start to the innings. After the departure of both batters in the space of five balls, wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah and Omair Bin Yousuf got together and knitted a 60-run partnership for the third wicket. Omair – who was playing his first match in the one-day series – departed in the 22nd over after scoring 29 off 38 deliveries, which included three fours.

From 107 for three in 21.2 overs, the tourists went on to lose three more wickets for just 62 runs which included the well-set Haseebullah (49, 60b, 6x4s) and were struggling as the scoreboard read 169 for six in 33.2 overs. At that point, 21-year-old Mubasir Khan and 20-year-old Qasim Akram got together and stitched a 67-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Mubasir’s innings (30, 32b, 3x4s) came to an end in the 42nd over, with Shaheens still requiring 43 runs to win from 49 balls. At the other end, Qasim remained calm and composed and took Shaheens home with two wickets in hand. The light faded in the 47th over of the innings and Shaheens won the match by five runs on DLS. Player of the match Qasim scored an unbeaten 57 off 40 balls, smashing seven fours and one six. For Zimbabwe Select, Tendai Chatara took four wickets for 53 from 9.5 overs.

Earlier, Pakistan Shaheens made three changes to their playing XI, with tourists’ stand-in captain for the game Hussain Talat winning the toss and electing to field first. The hosts once again struggled as five of their batters were back to the hut in 28.4 overs with 137 runs on the board. At that crucial juncture of the innings, Sean Williams (78, 59b, 6x4s, 3x6s) and Clive Madande (22, 27b, 1×4) added 65 runs for the sixth wicket. After the departure of both the set batters, Zimbabwe Select were dismissed for 278 on the final ball of the innings. For Shaheens, right-arm pacers Shahnawaz Dahani (10-0-43-4) and Aamir Jamal (10-0-60-3) shared seven wickets between them.

Brief scores:

Pakistan Shaheens beat Zimbabwe Select by five runs on DLS

Zimbabwe Select 278 all out, 50 overs (Sean Williams 78, Wessly Madhevere 41; Shahnawaz Dahani 4-43, Aamir Jamal 3-60) vs Pakistan Shaheens 263-8, 46.5 overs (Qasim Akram 57 not out, Haseebullah 49, Mubasir Khan 30; Tendai Chatara 4-53, Wellington Masakadza 2-44)

Player of the match – Qasim Akram (Pakistan Shaheens).