Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman cause Zimbabwe to collapse in the first session of the final day, allowing Pakistan to seal a comfortable win.

by Pakpassion Staff (7th September 2013)

Pakistan made a strong start to the day, when Junaid Khan got the wicket of Hailton Masakadza for 1, who looked to play no shot and ended up fending the ball to gully. In his next over, he trapped Vusi Sibanda LBW for 6 and was almost unplayable for the Zimbabwe batsmen bowling round the wicket and swinging the ball away. Malcolm Waller and Sikandar Raza did some recovery work as Waller in particular looked to take the attack to the opposition. He played one shot too many though, when he slog swept Abdur Rehman into the hands of Rahat Ali for 17. Sikandar Raza, who was batting well but was riding his luck, edged one to Azhar Ali off Abdur Rehman for 24 to leave Zimbabwe tottering at 58-5.

Elton Chigumbura started to play his natural game and stroked three boundaries off Rehman and Rahat Ali but then guided one to the slips, where Mohammad Hafeez took the catch off Rehman for 28. Prosper Utseya couldn’t resist either and was cleaned up for a duck off Ajmal. Shingi Masakadza was also trapped lbw by him for a 2nd ball duck as Ajmal threw in a quicker delivery. This wicket was his tenth of the match and the fourth time he had achieved that feat in his Test career. Tinashe Panyangara became Rehman’s fourth victim, when he was trapped in front by for 6. Richmond Mutumbami and Tendai Chatara prolonged Pakistan’s stay in the field, but not for too long, when Saeed Ajmal trapped the latter for 13. Saeed Ajmal finished with 11 wickets in the match as Pakistan wrapped the first Test up, winning by a massive margin of 221 runs.

Fall Of Wickets 

2-14 (H Masakadza, 8.5 ov), 
3-19 (Sibanda, 10.2 ov), 
4-49 (Waller, 23.3 ov), 
5-58 (Sikandar Raza, 27.1 ov), 
6-89 (Chigumbura, 33.4 ov), 
7-90 (Utseya, 34.4 ov), 
8-90 (SW Masakadza, 34.6 ov), 
9-101 (Panyangara, 39.4 ov)
10-120 (Chatara, 46.4 ov)

 

It was all over in less than a session, albeit an extended one, as the question marks over Misbah's declaration evaporated thanks to an outstanding bowling performance from Ajmal, Rehman and Junaid. Junaid's spell from around the wicket was particularly mesmerising, and his two early wickets ended any realistic chance of Zimbabwe saving the game. Rehman put his first innings performance behind to come back strongly and take four wickets, while Saeed Ajmal worked his magic once again to finish with eleven in the match.

The next Test commences at the same ground in three days time, and Pakistan will hope they aren't on the back foot as much as they were during this game. Zimbabwe deserve a lot of credit for the way they played, and may have produced a shock result had it not been for Younis Khan's double century.

For Pakistan, the two openers and Asad Shafiq will be the main talking points ahead of the next Test. Khurram Manzoor has a disappointing comeback while Mohammad Hafeez is looking less and less like a Test match opener. Shafiq's two failures may put him under pressure from Faisal Iqbal who is currently in the squad. but that may be a harsh call for someone who scored a hundred in South Africa a couple of Tests ago. The management will also need to consider whether Rahat Ali, who took one wicket in the Test, is the best partner for Junaid if Pakistan are opting for a two-man pace attack.

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