Pakistani batsman Ahmed Shehzad (R) congratulates to his teammate Mukhtar Ahmed after scoring 50 runs against Zimbabwe during the first International T20 cricket match at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on May 22, 2015. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI: Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by five wickets on Friday to kick-off the revival of international cricket at home with a win at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Mukhtar Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad opened the chase for Pakistan while chasing a hefty total of 173 runs set by Zimbabwe after winning the toss and batting first.
Mukhtar scored 83 off 45 balls, while Ahmed Shehzad managed 55 runs off 39 deliveries to put an opening stand of 142 runs.
Muhamamad Hafeez (12), Umar Akmal (4) and Shoaib Malik (7) tried to end the inning quickly after the openers departed but Shahid Afridi was destined to hit the winning runs as he arrived at the crease with four runs needed of four balls. He was fed with a full-toss by Panyangara and he hit it straight over his head for the winning runs.
Earlier, Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura scored scored 54 runs off 35 balls to boost his team's total while Hamilton Masakadza scored 43 off 27 up the order to lay good foundations for a big total.
Chigumbura: We played well first up. Pakistan took the game way in the first six over. Bowlers should have picked the wickets early. Its a good pitch to bat on if you can get yourself in. We will make sure to give a better performance in the next match. Its been a good journey in Pakistan. Supporters were good. Hopefully the guys will cherish this series.
Man-of-the-match Mukhtar Ahmed (in Urdu): First of I would like to thank ALLAH. I am happy to score in Pakistan as cricket has come back after six years. The ball was coming onto the bat and I was happy to see off the pressure. I am playing across all formats. I loved the six I hit straight over the bowler's head.
Shahid Afridi (In Urdu): It is because of our crowd that we have sent a message to the world that Pakistan is a cricketing nation. We were missing cricket. Our talent was missing cricket in Pakistan. Our cricket board will try to bring more cricket in Pakistan. Zimbabwe played well. Today's show was by Mukhtar. He played really well. It was a memorbale innings for him. We should give chances to all the youngsters and they should avail these chances.
Pakistan 173-5 (19.3 overs)
FOUR! Shahid Afridi hits the winning runs for Pakistan. Full-toss and Afridi hits it straight as an arrow.
BOWLED! Shoaib cleaned up. 4 runs need off 4 balls and Shahid Afridi walks out.
Double on the first ball by Shoaib, 4 needed off 5 balls.
Pakistan 167-4 (19 overs)
Five runs off the over. Pakistan need six off six balls.
Chris Mpofu bowls his third over. He has been expensive today.
Pakistan 162-4 (18 overs)
OUT! Umar Akmal caught on four runs. Tries to play it down the leg side but the ball takes the leading edge. Sibanda takes the catch at covers.
Brian Vitori in for his fourth over.
Pakistan 161-3 (17 overs)
FOUR! Umar Akmal faces the first ball and goes towards the cow corner for a boundary.
OUT! Muhammad Hafeez (12) is caught behind trying to cut a leg-spinner.
Greamer Cremer bowls his fourth and last over.
Pakistan 154-2 (16 overs)
SIX! Over long-on this time. Hafeez trying to end it as soon as possible.
FOUR! Muhammad Hafeez sweeps it towards the fine leg boundary.
Sean Willaims.
Pakistan 143-2 (15 overs)
OUT! Mukhtar Ahmed (83) caught at long-on off Greame Cremer. What a knock by the youngsters. He surely deserves a standing ovation. Pakistan need 29 off 33 now as Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik take the crease.
Pakistan 142-1 (14 overs)
OUT! Ahmed Shehzad caught on 55 off Sean Williams. Gives a simple catch in the hand of Mutumbami at covers.
Pakistan 140-0 (13 overs)
FOUR and a SIX! Punched through covers by Mukhtar Ahmed and muscled straight over the bowler's head on the next ball. He has got some raw power in his arms.
Chris Mpofu is back!
Pakistan 129-0 (12 overs)
FOUR and FIFTY! Straight on the pads of Ahmed Shehzad and he glances it down to the fine leg boundary. All it took was 34 balls.
Brian Vitori bowls his third over.
Pakistan 123-0 (11 overs)
FOUR! Ahmed Shehzad charges down the pitch and goes over the bowler's head.
SIX! Crunched over the long-on boundary by Mukhtar Ahmed.
Sikandar Raza bowls.
Pakistan 109-0 (10 overs)
FOUR! Mukhtar Ahmed goes over covers. They are making it look simple here the Pakistanis. Is there a twist in the tale or will it be a smooth ride for Pakistan. You can't expect Pakistan to chase a total without drama, can you?
100-run partnership up for the opening pair.
Greame Cremer in for his second over.
Pakistan 98-0 (9 overs)
FOUR! Exquisitely cut by Ahmed Shehzad for a four. The bowler is stunned by the shot.
Sikandar Raza in for his first over.
Pakistan 89-0 (8 overs)
SIX! Mukhtar raises his bat and hugs Ahmed Shehzad. What a day to bring up a half-century for your country. He took 26 balls to do it.
Mukhtar Ahmed on 49* as Cremer comes in to bowls.
Pakistan 79-0 (7 overs)
FOUR! Neat shot by Ahmed Shehzad. A delicate late-cut towards the third man boundary. Fielder dives unsuccessfully.
Sean Williams in for his second over.
Pakistan 71-0 (6 overs)
FOUR! Short, Wide and and on leg. Mukhtar (47*) just swings it past the fine leg fielder.
FOUR! Shehzad goes for the mid-wicket boundary. On his legs and Panyangara gets the treatment.
Tinashe Panyangara is back!
Mukhtar Ahmed shows the head-on attack approach Pakistan need to adopt! #CricketComesHome #PAKvZIM
— Manahil (@Manahil18) May 22, 2015
Pakistan 60-0 (5 overs)
FOUR and SIX! Shehzad this time. Sean Williams introduced into the attack and Shehzad walks out on both occassions.
Pakistan 49-0 (4 overs)
Another hat-trick of FOURs by Mukhtar Ahmed (42).
Brain Vitori in for his second.
Pakistan 36-0 (3 overs)
FOUR! FOUR! FOUR! Mukhar Ahmed on fire against Mpofu.
FOUR! Short ball and Mukhtar cuts it over the inner field for the third man boundary.
FOUR leg byes! On leg, touches Shehzad and runs to the fine leg boundary.
Chris Mpofu bowls after almost two years for Zimbabwe.
Pakistan 15-0 (2 overs)
Just four runs off his over.
Brian Vitori bowls his first over for Zimbabwe.
Pakistan 11-0 (1 over)
FOURx2! Mukhtar Ahmed start the chase on a positive note. Goes for the backward square leg and long-on boundary.
Mukhtar Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad open the batting for Pakistan. This is the first time Ahmed Shehzad will be adorning the green shirt at home. Tinashe Panyangara opens the bowling for Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe set a 173-run target for Pakistan in the first T20 of the two-match series.
Zimbabwe 172-6 (20 overs)
DROPPED! Wahab himself calls for the catch and drops a dolly. What a disgrace!
BOWLED! Elton Chigumbura castled by Wahab on 54
Wahab Riaz bowls the last over.
Zimbabwe 167-5 (19 overs)
SIX and FIFTY for Elton Chigumbura. This was big, really big.
Muhammad Sami bowls the penultimate over.
Zimbabwe 159-5 (18 overs)
FOURx3! Bhatti slips one from his hands and Chigumbura punishes the next one towards mid-wicket. Adds to Wahab's misery with another one on the next ball towards extra cover.
Wahab Riaz is back for his third over.
Zimbabwe 142-5 (17 overs)
SIX, FOUR, OUT! Sikandar Raza giving the audience something to cheer on every ball.
Muhammad Sami misses his hat-trick. In the block hole, but Sikandar Raza blocks and takes a single.
Zimbabwe 129-4 (16 overs)
Another FOUR! This time it was bowled in the block hole but the inside edges takes it to the fine leg boundary.
FOUR! Thick outside edge over point. Chigumbura slogs it!
Bilawal Bhatti is in and Chigumbura welcomes him with a FOUR. Top edge flies fine on the leg side, beat the fielder.
Zimbabwe 114-4 (15 overs)
Just six runs off his over.
Shoaib Malik in for his third over.
Zimbabwe 108-4 (14 overs)
FOUR! Forced by Chigumbura past the mid-off fielder.
Anwar Ali is back!
Zimbabwe 100-4 (13 overs)
OUT! Sean Williams tries to sweep, instead top-edges it to Wahab on the fourth ball. Sikandar Raza is out to join Elton Chigumbura.
Shoaib Malik in again.
Zimbabwe 97-3 (12 overs)
FOUR by Williams on a reverse sweep to start the over.
Shahid Afridi in for his third over. He hasn't got a wicket. He needs to find a few quick ones for his team.
Zimbabwe 87-3 (11 overs)
Sami clean bowled Masakadza and is on a hat-trick!http://t.co/MvQ9TC7oTB #PAKvZIM #CricketComesHome #cricingif http://t.co/X9oPDQuodG
— Usman (@usmansatti93) May 22, 2015
Just four runs off his over.
Shoaib Malik given the ball by Afridi.
Zimbabwe 83-3 (10 overs)
Seven runs off the over.
FOUR! Chigumbura goes for the backward point boundary.
Shahid Afridi again.
Zimbabwe 76-3 (9 overs)
CAUGHT BEHIND! Short and on leg. Coventry just nudges it to Sarfraz behind the stumps. That is a good catch by the keeper. P.S. The ball did not anything else than Coventry's shoulder.
https://twitter.com/taimoorza/status/601761125143678976
FOUR! Charles Coventry goes over extra cover on the first ball.
Wahab Riaz is in.
Zimbabwe 68-2 (8 overs)
FOUR! This time over extra cover. Coventry showing no nerves even after two quick wickets fell.
FOUR! Paddle sweep earns Charles Coventry a boundary on the fourth ball.
Shahid Afridi is in!
Zimbabwe 58-2 (7 overs)
BOWLED! Masakadza cleaned up beautifully by Sami. Two in two for him! He is on a hat-trick!
OUT! Sibanda top-edges one for an easy catch by Sarfraz Ahmed.
Muhammad Sami in for his second over.
Zimbabwe 54-0 (6 overs)
RUN OUT chance but Masakadza survives it. Direct hit and he was easing in at the final moment but he is fine! NOT OUT!
FOUR! Masakadza is on fire here. On his pads and it goes towards the backward square leg.
Bilawal Bhatti in again!
Zimbabwe 40-0 (5 overs)
FOURx2! Masakadza goes for the square boundary on the leg side then cuts a slow ball past the keeper.
Wahab Riaz is in with his left-arm quickies.
Zimbabwe 32-0 (4 overs)
SIX! Masakadza goes big over mid-wicket on the fifth ball.
A nasty collision between Bhatti and Sibanda as the bowlers tries to back Afridi's throw at the bowler's end.
Bilawal Bhatti also makes a comeback after the devastating spell against New Zealand just before the 2015 World Cup.
Zimbabwe 23-0 (3 overs)
FOUR! Leg glance and Sibanda beats the fine-leg fielder on the last ball.
FOUR! Lap sweep by Masakadza towards fine leg.
He is bowling the off-stump line. Keeping it tight for the batsmen.
Anwar Ali in for his second over.
Zimbabwe 12-0 (2 overs)
FOUR! Masakadza again. Short and over mid on. Sami needs to find his rhythm.
FOUR! Hamilton Masakadza welcomes him with a boundary. Short and wide and he cuts it.
Muhammad Sami is back for Pakistan after more than two years.
Zimbabwe 1-0 (1 over)
Just a single off the over.
First runs on the board for Zimbabwe on the fourth. Cricket is actually back in Pakistan.
First ball of International cricket in Pakistan after six years. Masakadza blocks it!
Hamilton Masakadza and Vusimuzi Sibanda will open the batting for Zimbabwe. Anwar Ali has been given the new ball by Shahid Afridi.
Damn this is all so sentimental! May this be the beginning of better times for Pakistan. & a massive thank you Zimbabwe! #CricketComesHome
— adnanmalik (@adnanmalik) May 22, 2015
Pitch report
Ramiz Raja: First T20 in 56 years at the Gaddafi stadium. Something in for the spinners. Lots of boundaries and sixes expected. It is a batsmen's paradise.
#urainge #cricketcomeshome. pic.twitter.com/Y3J7kf9OLd
— Ali Zafar (@AliZafarsays) May 22, 2015
President Mamnoon Hussain welcomes the Zimbabwe team with handshakes and introductions.
National anthems are played for both teams.
Toss
Zimbabwe have won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan.
Over 60,000 fans are going to watch the match in Gaddafi stadium
PHOTO: TWITTERThe players are out there to warm-up before the first T20.
https://twitter.com/Main_Pakistani/status/601733122414219265
A huge crowd is expected to see the return of International cricket in Pakistan.
Huge crowds gathering at #Gaddafi #CricketComesHome #PAKvZIM pic.twitter.com/iYHdMes7QX
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) May 22, 2015
Wasim Akram and his wife Shaniera Akram are also pumped up for the return of International cricket in Pakistan.
Geared up for an awesome summer of #Cricket in #Pakistan #PAKvZIM #CricketComesHome #TheRealPCB @iamShaniera pic.twitter.com/Ow0Yhwda0u
— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) May 22, 2015
Misbahul Haq was caught in traffic while he was on his way to Gaddafi stadium to watch the first T20 between Pakistan and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe team has reached Gaddafi stadium.
Pakistan team coach Waqar Younis and T20 captain Shahid Afridi are taking a look at the pitch.
Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain will honor the match with his presence.
The spectators have started entering the stadium as the gates will be closed after 6pm.
The teams will be arriving in the stadium shortly while the toss will be held at 6.30pm, half an hour before the match starts.
Wahab Riaz @wahabviki spoke to #PCB about #CricketComesHome #PAKvZIM https://t.co/ojDpsP5kVg
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) May 22, 2015
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