Sami's rueful return, and Chigumbura's luck
Plays of the Day from the first ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, in Lahore
One-third a cat: Elton Chigumbura was given three lives during his hundred • AFP
Pakistan management reaped the results of sticking with Shoaib Malik despite two ordinary Twenty20 matches, but they were not so lucky with the other comeback man, Mohammad Sami. As usual, Sami began his spell with much promise, just two runs coming off his first two overs. As usual he fell apart in the end. Coming back for his fifth over he began with two short and wide deliveries, both went for fours, and then a full one was caressed through cover to make it a hat-trick.
The fifth ball of the 47th over could have got Haris Sohail out in more than one way. As he looked to force it over the off side, the bat slipped out of his hand, and fell about six inches wide of the off stump. Looking at the 2d pictures from square on you would have thought the bat was falling straight on to the stumps. The ball, meanwhile, had taken the edge of the slipping bat and lobbed up perilously, but fell short of the fielder at cover. It was the rare mis-hit in an innings of supreme control; you would have thought Pakistan had earned that bit of luck.
When it's your afternoon, chances are it will be your evening too. In his first ODI back, Malik scored the first century in Pakistan in six years. But the hosts found themselves facing minor irritants in half-centurions Hamilton Masakadza and Elton Chigumbura. Malik came on to bowl in the 31st over and immediately things began to happen with his non-turning offbreaks. He nearly had a wicket with a leading edge on the fifth ball, the seventh he bowled fell short of deep midwicket, but the 11th ended Masakadza's innings with a chip down deep midwicket's throat.
Had Zimbabwe been chasing a smaller total, Chigumbura's luck - don't forget some excellent shots to get to his hundred - could have played a critical part. It was a small miracle this one-third cat finally got out. The first ball he faced he was dead plumb lbw, but Aleem Dar ruled him not out on the grounds of height. On an even 50 he pulled Mohammad Hafeez hard and straight to Asad Shafiq at short midwicket, and saw the ball burst through. Chigumbura's near invincibility made itself unmistakably apparent when he hooked the returning Wahab Riaz straight down deep midwicket's throat where Hammad Azam was confused whether to catch it with reverse cups or with fingers pointing down. He went with fingers pointing up, and was hit in the chest. Chigumbura would go on to add 52 runs and a lot of nervous moments for Pakistan.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo