It promises to be a treat for action to relish for true fans of cricket: the touring team is set to commence their white-ball action with the first ODI to be played against Zimbabwe.
At the iconic Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, the team is all set to begin its first ODI-in-Zimbabwe white-ball tour with Pakistan’s cricket team. Skippered by wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan enters into the series brimming with confidence after having achieved a historic 2-1 ODI series victory against Australia. Though Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, who have been rested for the tour, may not be present, the squad is still rich in young talent and experienced players.
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Squad Strength and Expectations
The team has match-winners such as Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, and Shahnawaz Dahani, thus placing them as firm favorites to out-think Zimbabwe. With Craig Ervine brought in to lead the home team, they will do their best to put up a fight. Zimbabwe thus plans to bring its host conditions into play and hope to produce an upset against its strong adversaries, aided by the presence of some fine players like Sean Williams and all-rounder Sikandar Raza.
Historical Context and Match Details
Pakistan boasts an impressive ODI record over Zimbabwe, having won 54 of 62 matches. Zimbabwe has won five matches, two without results, and one was tied. Whereas Pakistan would want to continue that trend, Zimbabwe suddenly embarks on a plan to make all that possible using the home account. This is an opportunity for both these countries to test the depth of their benches while gearing up for the next few cricket events.
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Match Timing and Viewing Options
The inaugural ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe is set to be played at Bulawayo, commencing at 12:30 PM Pakistan Standard Time. The game will be aired on PTV Sports and Geo Super national sports channels. Fans can also catch the series live on the OTT platform Tapmad.
The whites ball tour of the Zimbabwean land promises to be an exciting opener with its first ODI set at Queens Sports Club. Although short of a few key players, the blood and pus of the strong line-up of the Pakistanis should be felt; Blackberry will also be hoping to capitalize on her home advantage.