Pakistan win ODI series 2-0 after washout

LAHORE: The third and last one-day international (ODI) match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe ended in a no result as rain and heavy dust storm disrupted the play here at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Initially the play was halted for 50 minutes before Zimbabwe were set a revised target of 281 in 46 overs but rain stopped play again only after one over of play.

Zimbabwe were 62-0 after eight overs chasing a 297-run target set by Pakistan, who won the toss and decided to bat.

The visitors added another eight runs in the one over play made possible before the match was stopped again.

Pakistan has already bagged the three-match series 2-0 after winning the first two matches by 41 runs and six wickets respectively.

Pakistan made 296-9 with 80 from Mohammad Hafeez and 54 from debutant Babar Azam.

Hafeez scored run-a-ball 80 with 8 fours and a six while the 20-year-old debutant completed his half-century off just 60 deliveries with four stylish boundaries in his innings.

Captain Azhar Ali, who opted to bat first after winning the toss, remained just 4 short of yet another half-century. He scored 46 off 59 deliveries with 4 fours and a six.

Late heroics with the bat by pacer Anwar Ali, who scored 37 (23) with 2 fours and as many sixes, took his side to a respectable total of 296 for the loss of 9 wickets in full 50 overs.

Pakistan brought in opener Babar Azam and paceman Junaid Khan in place of Haris Sohail and Mohammad Sami.

Zimbabwe also made two changes with Brian Vitori and Tawanda Mupariwa making way for Roy Kaia (playing his first one-day) and Chris Mpofu.

The thumping six-wicket win on Friday helped Pakistan to their first one-day series victory in 17 months. Pakistan won the first match by 41 runs in Lahore.

The one-day series followed Pakistan’s 2-0 win in the preceding Twenty20 matches in the series which marked the return of international cricket in the country after a six-year gap.

International cricket was suspended in Pakistan since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009– AFP/Geo News