Imran Farhat and Hafeez's 228-run partnership is PAK's highest for the 1st wicket in ODIs, breaking the record of 204 between Ramiz Raja and Saeed Anwar

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Openers power Pakistan to series win

Pakistan strolled to victory after being untroubled, chasing a below-par score on a batsmen friendly pitch in Harare

11-Sep-2011•Firdose Moonda

Match centre Scores : M Venkat Raghav • Comms : Siddarth Ravindran

Scorecard summary

Zimbabwe1 Inn

225/6(50 overs)

68 (118)

2/33 (9)

50 (76)

1/29 (10)

Pakistan2 Inn

228/0(42.1 overs)

*139 (147)

0/7 (2)

*75 (106)

0/40 (9)

Post-match presentation

Brendan Taylor: "Unfortunately I made a bad decision at the toss, we were totally outplayed today. I wanted to put them in to bat, what in god's name made me want to say we want to bat I don't know. I apologise to the boys for that. We are all desperate to get better, and hopefully we can put a good performance together on Wednesday."

Misbah: "This is the way we want to play. Wonderful performance by the team, especially the bowlers at the start. Then both the openers played very well, lot of pressure on Farhat, and Hafeez is turning out to be a match-winner for us. we came here after a lay-off of almost three months, we are just improving with the games. we just want to play a balanced team, we want to give exposure to the youngsters but we also want to keep winning games."

Mohammad Hafeez is, unsurprisingly, the Man of the Match: " The hard work in the last few years is paying off for me. I worked a lot on my fitness. I think really understand the game now as I worked hard with my coach, I worked on my technique as well. The plan today was simple, the ball was not coming on early on, the more we played the more we would get used to wicket, so we just wanted to spend more time on this track."

Imran Farhat:"It was very good stand, Hafeez was playing very well, I was just supporting him, coach said take your time. Definitely I was under pressure (after first game failure) I was trying to cut down the shots, the coach and captain said just take your time, you have the ability. Tremendous performance from Hafeez, I'm learning a lot from him."

That's all we have today. Hop over here if you want to see how the India- England game is going. Thanks for all the mails, clearly everyone needs to work on their jinxing ability. Join us again for the final game on Wednesday. See you then!

Kamran Yousaf: "Misbah ul Haq's Captaincy Record is 100% so far." Five wins in five ODIs so far.

Mune: "Hafeez can have a batting average of 100 for all I care, but I won't forgive him for giving away his wicket in Mohali like that."

Yousuf: "So apparently, through to the semifinal of the world cup is not the cream of the crop."

42.1

Mpofu to Hafeez, FOUR runs

nope, just a four, it's a trademark Hafeez pull behind square leg for the boundary that seals the series for Pakistan, they are 2-0 up now

Apologies. Hafeez's batting average this year is 43. His strike-rate is 77. Thanks to Priyashrav for pointing that out.

Will Hafeez finish this off with a six?

Over42

7 runs

PAK 224/0CRR: 5.33 RRR: 0.25

Imran Farhat 75 (106b 6x4)Mohammad Hafeez 135 (146b 12x4 1x6)

RW Price0/40 (9)

Here's the list for largest partnerships by Pakistan in ODIs.

41.6

Price to Farhat, 2 runs

chopped towards deep point for a couple, Pakistan two away now

41.5

Price to Hafeez, 1 run

length ball is pushed towards mid-off for a single

Tajdar: "Rameez Raja Jr. would surely get a chance in 3rd ODI, as Pakistan would take this series and be keen in experimenting a few other youngsters." Perhaps they should rest Hafeez.

41.4

Price to Farhat, 1 run

a full ball is punched down towards long-off

41.3

Price to Farhat, 2 runs

played with soft hands wide of mid-on, and the batsmen scramble two

41.2

•

Price to Farhat, no run

down the leg side, looks to sweep, gets it down towards short fine leg

41.1

Price to Hafeez, 1 run

eased towards long-on for a single

Over41

12 runs

PAK 217/0CRR: 5.29 RRR: 1.00

Imran Farhat 70 (102b 6x4)Mohammad Hafeez 133 (144b 12x4 1x6)

CB Mpofu0/48 (9)

Sultan Babar: "They now have the highest opening partnership stand for Pakistan. Way to go Naeem, you jinxed him, lol..."

Gav: "Hafeez's opponents this year? Zimbabwe, Ireland, West Indies, the World cup and New Zealand. Not quite the cream of the crop"

40.6

Mpofu to Farhat, FOUR runs

overpitched by Mpofu and that is squeezed out to the backward point boundary, another expensive over this

40.5

Mpofu to Hafeez, 1 run

once more he tries to get it past short third, takes the single this time

Faisal: "Highest opening stand for Pakistan. Well Done!" Just what the Professor ordered.

40.4

•

Mpofu to Hafeez, no run

shortish and just outside off, Hafeez opens the face to dab it to short third

40.3

Mpofu to Hafeez, 2 runs

a yorker length ball on middle, Hafeez digs it out and manages to send it towards short fine

40.2

Mpofu to Hafeez, FOUR runs

length ball sliding into the pads, glanced past short fine for four, Pakistan galloping towards victory now

40.1

Mpofu to Farhat, 1 run

chopped towards point for a single

Over40

18 runs

PAK 205/0CRR: 5.12 RRR: 2.10

Mohammad Hafeez 126 (140b 11x4 1x6)Imran Farhat 65 (100b 5x4)

BV Vitori0/43 (8)

Hafeez's stats in 2011: Batting avg: 77 Bowling avg: 30

39.6

Vitori to Hafeez, FOUR runs

toying with Zimbabwe now, the third man had just come into the circle, Hafeez sees that and bunts the ball just over the head of short third man for four more, and this now is Pakistan's highest opening stand in ODIs

39.5

Vitori to Hafeez, FOUR runs

Hafeez having a bit of fun here, stretches forward and times that through cover for four, that brings up the highest score of his career, and what a stylish shot to do it with

39.4

Vitori to Hafeez, 2 runs

short and well outside off, dabbed wide of third man by Hafeez

39.3

1lb

Vitori to Farhat, 1 leg bye

looks to swing that one towards midwicket, off the pads and behind point for a leg bye, Vitori appeals for lbw, but that was going down

39.2

Vitori to Hafeez, 3 runs

Hafeez wants to finish it in a hurry, that seemed headed for the cover boundary but Masakadza has chased it down, it was a length ball that Hafeez played over covers, couldn't get enough power to make it reach the rope

This stand is now the fifth highest opening stand for Pakistan

39.1

Vitori to Hafeez, FOUR runs

full wide delivery, Hafeez steers that down to third man for four, just opens the face, no intention of powering the ball, very well done by Hafeez

Over39

8 runs

PAK 187/0CRR: 4.79 RRR: 3.54

Imran Farhat 65 (99b 5x4)Mohammad Hafeez 109 (135b 8x4 1x6)

CB Mpofu0/36 (8)

Another stat. This time from Ben: "If these two can bat until 40.4 overs, it will be a Pakistan record for the highest number of balls faced in an opening partnership."

andyZaltzmann'sHair sent this in before the Powerplay was taken: "If I was Hafeez, I'd take the powerplay now he's got his hundred, and hopefully do Pak a favour and help get his team mate out. Or possibly run Farhat out and have the perfect match."

38.6

•

Mpofu to Farhat, no run

short of length ball outside off, Farhat opens the face to try guide the ball to third man, he is beaten

Read full commentary

Best performances - batters

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Mohammad Hafeez

PAK

139 runs (147)

13 fours1 six

Productive shot