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Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, 33rd Match, Group A at Kandy, , Mar 14 2011 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
33rd Match, Group A (D/N), Pallekele, March 14, 2011, ICC Cricket World Cup
(39.4/39.4 ov) 151/7
(34.1/38 ov, T:162) 164/3

Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with 23 balls remaining) (D/L method)

Player Of The Match
3/36
umar-gul
New
PAK
Full commentary

Not as dominating a performance as Pakistan would have liked perhaps, but they were rarely in trouble and cruised to victory.

Shafiq: "It always feels great when you play your first game and finish it like that. I know my game, I know my strengths. I like Mohammad Yousuf a lot, and I try to play like him."

Besides the win, some of the pluses for Pakistan are the decent innings from Mohammad Hafeez, and the mature knock from Asad Shafiq. Gul was outstanding with the ball again, and the rest of the bowling was tidy as well.

Presentation ceremony:

Chigumbura: " Again we lost too many wickets first up, from there it was tough to come back into the game, and the rain also made it hard for us to get some momentum. After this, we are going to go home and work on batting, especially in the first 10 overs. I thought Ervine played pretty well, I'm happy with the bowling also, the spinners with old ball bowled good lines."

Afridi: "I think the way we started, the way Gul and Razzaq they started very well, and then the spinners. I think the way Hafeez played, good to see him back, and Shafiq played an amazing knock, I tried to finish the game early but I'm sure I will perform with the bat as well."

Gul is the Man of the Match: "I'm back in my form and rhythm. I tried to bowl wicket to wicket, I looked at the pitch before the match, I was happy to bowl first. We are looking forward to the game against Australia, we have done our homework, we will do our best."

That's that from Pallekele then. Sahil Dutta has the match bulletin for you over here.

Thanks everyone for all the mails, do join us tomorrow for the South Africa-Ireland match tomorrow. Till then, from Liam Brickhill, and me Siddarth Ravindran, good night.

34.1
4
Cremer to Shafiq, FOUR runs

and Pakistan are through to the quarter-finals, this is their first successful chase in World Cups since the 1999 semi-final against New Zealand, just outside off, Shafiq carves it past point for a boundary that brings up the victory

end of over 345 runs
PAK: 160/3CRR: 4.70 RRR: 0.75
Asad Shafiq74 (96b 6x4)
Younis Khan13 (28b)
Shingi Masakadza 6-1-44-0
Ray Price 8-1-21-2
33.6
1
Masakadza to Shafiq, 1 run

legcutter on middle and off, Shafiq forces into the covers for one more

33.5
1
Masakadza to Younis, 1 run

short and wide outside off, he hangs back and cuts it to third man for a single

33.4
1
Masakadza to Shafiq, 1 run

now a full toss outside off, Shafiq is timing them quite well but mid-off does well to run across and field the fluent off drive

33.3
Masakadza to Shafiq, no run

over-pitched on off stump and punched crisply but straight to cover

33.2
1
Masakadza to Younis, 1 run

again too straight, Younis eases it through midwicket for one more

33.1
1
Masakadza to Shafiq, 1 run

dangled into the pads, dabbed away square for a single

end of over 331 run
PAK: 155/3CRR: 4.69 RRR: 1.60
Younis Khan11 (26b)
Asad Shafiq71 (92b 6x4)
Ray Price 8-1-21-2
Shingi Masakadza 5-1-39-0
32.6
Price to Younis, no run

Price continues to peg away, Younis reaches out on off stump and dabs to the off side

32.5
Price to Younis, no run

drifting into the pads, worked to the leg side of the pitch

32.4
Price to Younis, no run

short outside off, cuts it backward of point

32.3
Price to Younis, no run
32.2
Price to Younis, no run
32.1
1
Price to Shafiq, 1 run

shortish from Price, Younis shuffles across and tucks it towards midwicket

end of over 3210 runs
PAK: 154/3CRR: 4.81 RRR: 1.50
Younis Khan11 (21b)
Asad Shafiq70 (91b 6x4)
Shingi Masakadza 5-1-39-0
Graeme Cremer 6-0-27-0
31.6
Masakadza to Younis, no run

a slower ball outside off, defended towards point

31.5
1
Masakadza to Shafiq, 1 run

lovely stop from Ervine after Shafiq slaps the ball towards cover, a great dive stops the ball but Ervine spoils that by giving away an overthrow

31.4
2
Masakadza to Shafiq, 2 runs

overpitched on middle, tucked towards deep midwicket for more runs

31.3
2
Masakadza to Shafiq, 2 runs

steered the ball towards third man, where a fumble gives away an extra run

31.3
5w
Masakadza to Shafiq, 5 wide

that one just took off, astounding, Masakadza has got some deliveries to bounce sharply but that short ball was yards over the batsman's head, keeper had no chance either

31.2
Masakadza to Shafiq, no run

shortish and on off, defended off the back foot towards the off side, Shafiq wanted one Younis didn't, Shafiq turns back

31.1
Masakadza to Shafiq, no run

short of length from Masakadza, defended towards the leg side

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ICC Cricket World Cup

Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
PAK651100.758
SL64192.582
AUS64191.123
NZ64281.135
ZIM62440.030
CAN6152-1.987
KENYA6060-3.042
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SA651102.026
IND64190.900
ENG63270.072
WI63361.066
BAN6336-1.361
IRE6244-0.696
NED6060-2.045