YOUHANA CENTURY SPURS PAKISTAN TO 323
Seemingly inevitably, Pakistan again compiled a massive total against Zimbabwe's hapless bowlers, amassing 323 for three, with Saleem Elahi and Yousuf Youhana again registering centuries. Zimbabwe, though, did not help their cause by missing several chances.
Douglas Hondo and Gary Brent produced no miracles for Zimbabwe, both looking somewhat rusty, but as least there was not the wild and woolly bowling on show as at Bulawayo. The Zimbabwe ground fielding was sharp, with Craig Evans in particular distinguishing himself on the boundary, but Pakistan openers
Taufeez Umar and Saleem Elahi still experienced little trouble in pushing on
at five an over.
There were a couple of hard chances missed, but the worst miss came when Saleem, on 58, miscued Brent near mid-off. Nkala misjudged it so badly that he never got a hand to it. The two batsmen scored at neck and neck for
most of their partnership, which was only broken at 154 when Taufeeq (68) was superbly caught by the diving Mark Vermeulen off Grant Flower near the midwicket boundary in the 30th over.
Then, with Yousuf Youhana at the crease, the score increased by leaps and bounds, but without the batsmen ever seeming in a hurry. This pair added 92 before a fine stop and throw by Sean Ervine on the boundary ran out Saleem for a career-best 108, scored off 120 balls - his second consecutive century. Then, on his second ball, Shahid Afridi pulled Brent to be caught at deep midwicket without scoring. Pakistan were 246 for three.
That only proved a temporary glitch, as Kamran Akmal (24 not out) was in good form and Youhana continued his rampage, hitting a six off the final ball of the innings to finish with exactly 100 runs off 68 balls, including 8 fours and 2 sixes. Zimbabwe will probably have to chase that near-impossible target off a reduced number of overs, as they ran more than 10 minutes overtime.
