Zimbabwe and Pakistan will lock horns once again in the second of the five ODIs at Bulawyo on Monday. The visitors secured a crushing win by 201 runs in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the series and will be looking for more of the same against the depleted hosts in the second game.
As the two sides get ready to meet at the Queen’s Sports Club, we look at some key talking points.
BYOUYANT PAKISTAN LOOK TO FINE-TUNE WORLD CUP PREPARATIONS
The win in the first ODI was the first in the format in 2018 for Sarfraz Ahmed’s men who were whitewashed 5-0 in New Zealand earlier this year. With their ODI account now open, the remainder of the four matches in the series provides the men in green with ample opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the 2019 World Cup. Coach Mickey Arthur had previously spoken about looking at the bigger picture and that is exactly what Pakistan will aim to do.
This could mean some new combinations in bowling and batting being tried out by the visitors on Monday. One possibility is Yasir Shah coming into the playing XI as he completes his return from a long-term injury layoff. After Shadab Khan’s four-wicket haul in the first ODI, Sarfraz might be tempted to line up with two spinners as he seeks to get Yasir back into match rhythm. The senior leg-spinner has not played an ODI for two years now but with the ever-growing effectiveness of wrist-spinners in white-ball cricket, Pakistan will want to test Yasir as an option for the 2019 World Cup.
Yasir Shah has not played an ODI for two years now.
DEPLETED HOSTS DEALT ANOTHER BLOW
Zimbabwe came into the series with a depleted unit with five of their senior players in Sikandar Raza, Brendon Taylor, Graeme Cramer and Sean Williams unavailable due to the ongoing pay dispute between the players and the cricketing board.
The Hamilton Masakadza-led squad was further depleted when the in-form Solomon Mire and all-rounder Kyle Jarvis were ruled out of the ODIs due to injuries. Mire’s absence in particular was a big blow after he played some stellar innings in the preceding T20 tri-series.
Now, the hosts have suffered another setback with batsman Malcolm Waller withdrawing from the squad after citing labour-practice laws. With the turmoil in Zimbabwe cricket showing no signs of ending, the hosts will have it all to do against a Pakistan outfit whose showings in white-ball cricket has been pretty impressive of late.
Mazakadza has an unenviable task on hand with a depleted squad.
LIKELY XIs
Zimbabwe: Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza (c), Tarisai Musakanda, Peter Moor, Ryan Murray (wk), Donald Tiripano, Liam Roche, Wellington Masakadza, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani.
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (c and wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir.
