Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 41 runs in their first One Day International match after six years in Lahore on Tuesday.
All-rounder Shoaib Malik returned a winner, with his remarkable 112 runs off 76 balls, in one-day cricket in the match against Zimbabwe. Pakistan scored a clean 375 for 3, a score which was chased by Zimbabwe to 335 for 5.
Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez began calmly before opening up in a 170-run stand, which is Pakistan’s third-highest opening partnership at home. Though the partnership broke at a point, Shoaib Malik and Sohail took over and added more intent to the game.
Zimbabwe’s captain Elton Chigumbura featured in two partnerships, adding 124 runs with Hamilton Masakadza, (who scored 73 runs) for the third wicket and a further 74 runs with Sean Williams (who scored 36 runs).
The Pakistani players have praised the sportsmanship and courage shown by Zimbabwe’s team, which decided to tour Pakistan after some apprehensions due to an attack in 2009 on the Sri Lankan team’s bus in Lahore that killed six police officials and a van driver.
Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe 2—0 in the earlier Twenty20 series.