Kamran Ghulam’s maiden ODI ton propels Pakistan to series win against Zimbabwe – India TV

Pakistan proved to be too good for Zimbabwe in the end as the visitors sealed the three-match ODI series 2-1 after a magnificent 99-run victory in the decider in Bulawayo on Thursday, November 28. Kamran Ghulam’s maiden ODI ton set up the win for Pakistan as the visitors posted a total in excess of 300 before Zimbabwe despite starts from a few batters failed to chase it down and fell way short. This was Pakistan’s second successive ODI series win away from home after beating Australia as they are building up rather nicely towards the Champions Trophy next year.

After choosing to bat first, Pakistan got off to a watchful start from the opening batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique. The duo stitched a 58-run partnership before Faraz Akram sent in-form Ayub packing for attacking 31. Shafique completed his fifty and was joined by Kamran Ghulam at the other end, who like Ayub was looking to take the attack to the opposition.

The duo also brought up a fifty-run partnership and just when it looked like Pakistan would steamroll Zimbabwe, another partnership was broken just after fifty as Sikandar Raza struck. The incoming batters, captain Mohammad Rizwan and his deputy Salman Agha, all got starts but thankfully for Pakistan, Ghulam held one end and kept forging partnerships. The 89-run stand between Rizwan and Ghulam was probably the clincher as it came at a rapid rate and Zimbabwe knew they were getting batted out of the game.

Ghulam brought up his maiden hundred but fell immediately after it. Agha and Tayyab Tahir’s cameos helped Pakistan to get to 303/6, which after a slightly watchful start was a very good score on that wicket, which was doing a bit.

Zimbabwe’s middle-order batters, too, got starts but failed to convert. However, the hosts lacked in a couple of areas that cost them big. Zimbabwe lost a couple of wickets cheaply, with Ayub accounting for Dion Myers and Joylord Gumbie by the third over mark. Not a single batter got a big score like Ghulam did for Pakistan.

It was a collective bowling effort from Pakistan as quartet of Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Aamer Jamal and Ayub shared four wickets apiece as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 204. Craig Ervine the captain was the only one to breach the 50-mark as Zimbabwe registered successive losses to end up on second in the three-match ODI series. The focus for both teams will now shift to the T20Is with the three-match series set to kick off on Sunday, December 1.