Fakhar Zaman's brilliance shines in record-breaking day for Pakistan as Zimbabwe slump to 244-run defeat

Waseem Ahmed 18:43 20/07/2018
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  • Fakhar Zaman was dismissed after an 85-run knock.

    Pakistan recorded their second biggest ODI win as they humbled Zimbabwe by a whopping 244 runs in the fourth game of the five-match series at Bulawayo on Friday.

    Fakhar Zaman‘s double-century was the highlight of the day as Pakistan posted a mammoth 399-1 after electing to bat first. In reply, the hosts were bundled out for just 155 runs as Pakistan raced away to a 4-0 lead in the series.

    Here, we look at the key talking points from a record-breaking day at Bulawayo.

    PAKISTAN OPENERS BREAK WORLD RECORD

    Both Pakistan openers, especially Fakhar Zaman, have been in scintillating form in the ODI series and they continued in the same vein on Friday as Zimbabwe’s bowlers were put through another grind.

    Imam-ul-Haq was the initial aggressor in the partnership before he was overshadowed by Fakhar’s attacking brilliance. Imam made up for the disappointment of being dismissed for a duck in the third ODI as he notched up his second century of the series. The 22-year-old was completely at ease on a benign surface as boundaries flowed at the Queen’s Sports Club.

    Fakhar, on the other hand, was his swashbuckling self once he got into his groove as he notched up only his third ODI hundred in just 92 balls. The pair recorded 304 runs between themselves for the first wicket before Imam was dismissed for 113. It is the first triple century stand in the format and is now the new world-record for the highest opening partnership in ODIs, going past the 286 put up by Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga against England in 2006.

    FAKHAR ZAMAN BREAKS SAEED ANWAR’S RECORD

    As if breaking the record opening stand in ODIs was not enough, Fakhar inflicted further misery on the hapless Zimbabweans as he became the first Pakistan batsman to register a double hundred in the format.

    The 28-year-old is probably in the form of his life and he made it count as he went past the legendary Saeed Anwar’s 194 to notch up Pakistan’s highest individual ODI score.

    The Pakistan opener characteristically dealt primarily in boundaries in his record-breaking innings as he became only the sixth batsman in history to breach the 200-run mark in ODIs. What was even more remarkable about his innings was the fact that he carried his bat till the very end after his phenomenal effort.

    The opener’s tally of 24 fours and five sixes is the most boundaries scored in an innings by a Pakistan batsman, beating Saeed Anwar’s record of 28 boundaries during his innings of 194.

     YASIR SHAH IMPRESSES ON ODI RETURN

    Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah had not played an ODI for two years when he took the field at Bulawayo on Wednesday. The 32-year-old was picked in the ODI side in a bid to regain match fitness following his long-term injury layoff.

    With the series also tied in the bag, Sarfraz elected to go with leg-spinners in the form of Yasir and Shadab Khan on Friday and the senior man did not disappoint on his return.

    Yasir might not have been among the wickets in the fourth ODI but his 10 overs were as economical as they come. The Pakistan bowler conceded just 31 runs from his 10 overs and his display will bode well for the side’s long-term plan as they prepare for the 2019 ICC World Cup in England.

    Yasir Shah played an ODI after two years.

    Yasir Shah played an ODI after two years.

    HOSTS DISAPPOINT ONCE AGAIN

    If there was one game which embodied the doldrums Zimbabwe cricket is at the present, it was Friday’s ODI. The Zimbabwe bowlers and fielders were equally abject as Pakistan racked up a record total and their batsmen did not fare any better during the daunting chase of 400.

    The gulf between the two sides has been cruelly exposed in the four matches so far and things are as bleak as they can be for the hosts. The fact that five senior stars made themselves unavailable due to the ongoing wage dispute has only been exacerbated by the injuries to Solomon Mire and Kyle Jarvis.

    It has been a series to forget for the hosts in every aspect and they would do well to regroup as a unit after this latest humbling.

    Plenty to think about for Hamilton Masakadza and his men.

    Plenty to think about for Hamilton Masakadza and his men.

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