Confident Pakistan eye Zimbabwe series clean sweep

Pakistan won the first Test comprehensively beating Zimbabwe by an innings and 116 runs.

(Web Desk) – Babar Azam will look to continue his unbeaten record as Pakistan Test captain when Zimbabwe and Pakistan meet for the second Test on 7 May at the Harare Sports Club.

Overview:

Zimbabwe v Pakistan, second Test Harare Sports Club, Harare 7 May – 11 May, 09:30 local, 07:30 GMT

Pakistan won the first Test comprehensively beating Zimbabwe by an innings and 116 runs. Hasan Ali’s nine wickets coupled with Fawad Alam’s knock of 140 helped Pakistan cruise to a comfortable victory. Babar is yet to face defeat as Test captain of Pakistan.

With a solid team in place, it will be interesting to see whether Pakistan give a chance Haris Rauf or Shahnawaz Dhani.

Zimbabwe meanwhile will be hoping for better performance with bat and ball. Apart from the opening pair of Kevin Kasuza and Tarisai Musakanda, none of the Zimbabwe batsmen were able to deal with the Pakistan bowling attack in the second innings of the Test.

Their regular captain Sean Williams is expected to return to the fold after missing the missing the first Test because of an injury. He will likely replace one among Tarisai Musakanda and Roy Kaia.

The hosts might also look to give a chance to Luke Jongwe, who had a successful T20I series.

Remember the last time:

In the first Test, Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat. After losing early wickets, Roy Kaia led the recovery allowing them to set a first-innings total of 176.

Pakistan rode on knocks of Fawad Alam (140) and Imran Butt (91), enabling them to post a solid first-innings total of426. The visitors wrapped the Zimbabwe second innings for 134 with a sensational bowling display led by Hasan Ali who took a five-for in the second innings.

What they said:

Babar Azam (Pakistan captain): "The bowlers exploited moisture in the first session on Day 1 and bowled them out for a low score. Hasan was outstanding in the first innings and the openers started well, we just carried the momentum, and Fawad’s finishing was excellent. Our plan was to score big, but we lost back to back wickets today and couldn’t achieve it. The line and length was brilliant from our bowlers in this Test, especially Hasan Ali. We will have to see, have three days off, want to rest."

Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe captain): "Day one’s batting let us down, we got bowled out in two sessions and we were always behind the eight-ball after that. We need to pull our socks very quickly and try to make some adjustments for the next Test. There is no secret if you build pressure, wickets will come. I just wanted to take care of the workload of the pacers and wanted to keep them fresh. We thought the scorecard wasn’t moving, so continued with the old ball. We were sloppy this game as a batting group but we will try to come back stronger."

Courtesy: icc-cricket.com