TORONTO, Oct 13: Pakistan maintained their unbeaten record when cruised to a seven-wicket victory over an outclassed Zimbabwe in the four-nation Canada Twenty20 tournament on Sunday with opener Shoaib Khan taking Man-of-the-Match honours for his knock of 50.
Zimbabwe started brightly and were 62-1 at one stage before losing seven wickets for just 45 runs as they struggled to 107-8.
Shoaib and Salman Butt, who made 33 not out, put on 96 for the second wicket as the Asian giants reached their target with one over to spare.
Zimbabwe opener Hamilton Masakadza made 53, but none of his team-mates could match his ability.
Masakadza was in flamboyant form hitting a giant six off Abdur Rauf before smashing two more off Anwar Ali, one of which landed out of the ground.
But once fellow opener Cephas Zhuwawo was removed for 12 and Masakadza was run out by Fawad Alam, Zimbabwe crumbled.
In reply, Pakistan lost Shahid Afridi for just five but Shoaib and Salman put on a comfortable 96 in just over 15 overs as they eased to victory.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE:
H. Masakadza run out 53
C. Zhuwawo c Shoaib Khan b S. Malik 12
C.J. Chibhabha c Misbah b Fawad 8
T. Taibu c S. Malik b Afridi 4
E. Chigumbura c Kamran b Fawad 4
S. Matsikenyeri c Kamran b Umar Gul 0
T. Maruma st Kamran b Fawad 7
R. Chakabva run out 1
P. Utseya not out 0
R.W. Price not out 0
EXTRAS (B-8, LB-2, W-8) 18
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 20 overs) 107
FALL OF WKTS: 1-62, 2-81, 3-87, 4-98, 5-98, 6-100, 7-105, 8-107.
DID NOT BAT: C.B. Mpofu.
BOWLING: Abdur Rauf 3-0-21-0 (1w); Anwar Ali 2-0-19-0; Umar Gul 4-0-12-1 (1w); Shahid Afridi 4-0-23-1 (2w); Shoaib Malik 4-0-15-1 (4w); Fawad Alam 3-0-7-3.
PAKISTAN:
Shoaib Khan Jr c Taibu b Mpofu 50
Shahid Afridi c Zhuwawo b Mpofu 5
Salman Butt not out 33
Khalid Latif c Matsikenyeri b Mpofu 0
Fawad Alam not out 5
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, W-15) 17
TOTAL (for three wkts, 19 overs) 110
FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-102, 3-103.
DID NOT BAT: Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Anwar Ali, Umar Gul, Abdur Rauf.
BOWLING: Chigumbura 4-0-28-0; Mpofu 3-0-16-3 (3w); Utseya 4-1-6-0 (1w); Price 4-0-20-0 (2w); Matsikenyeri 1-0-10-0; Maruma 1-0-12-0 (1w); Masakadza 2-0-16-0.
RESULT: Pakistan won by seven wickets.
UMPIRES: K. Bayney (Canada) and M.R. Benson (England).
TV UMPIRE: A. Maddela (Canada).
MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Shoaib Khan Jr.
—AFP
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