The spotlight has shifted once again to the series between Zimbabwe and Pakistan, amid growing questions about cricketing action in India. The visitors dominated the first match of the season, and they’ll be hoping to add to their list with another test victory. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, performed admirably in T20 cricket but fell short in the longer format. Zimbabwe and Pakistan will play their second and final match of the series on May 7, 2021, at Harare Sports Club in Harare.
ACCORDING TO OUR REPORT
TOSS WINNER – PAKISTHAN
MATCH WINNER – PAKISTHAN
TEAM PREVIEWS
ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe had previously played Afghanistan in a two-match series in the United Arab Emirates. They got off to a good start in that series, beating the Afghans by ten wickets, but have struggled since then. In the second match, they were defeated by a large margin and then put up a disappointing performance against Pakistan.
In the first match of the series, Zimbabwe appeared listless, finishing second in both departments. Though their bowling performed admirably on a surface that offered nothing to the bowlers, their batting crumbled like a pack of cards. They were bowled out for 176 runs in the first two sessions of the first day, and then only managed 134 runs in the second innings, losing by 116 runs.
Zimbabwe had flashes of brilliance in the first test, but they were far too few and far between. They were unable to cope with Pakistan’s pace attack, and they will have to brace for this in the upcoming match. Brendan Taylor, who has made a return to the national team, looks at ease in the second innings and will be looking to impress in the middle in the second test. In reality, he’s a good bet to bet on as Zimbabwe’s best batsman of the match in the second match.
On paper, Zimbabwe has a lot of talent, but not a lot of experience. They will not have their full-strength side available due to injury, so it will be up to Brendan Taylor, who is also the captain, to lead them to a respectable place in this upcoming match. Zimbabwe has some outstanding fast bowlers available, and if they can put Pakistan’s batsmen under pressure, they may just get the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan, who have been on a roll recently, will be hoping to add another trophy to their collection by winning this match as well. It shouldn’t be too complicated, based on how they performed in the first test against Pakistan. Having said that, they are notorious for being a very volatile team that can throw in some surprising twists and turns.
Hasan Ali, who used his reverse-swing skills to perfection in the first match, was the key architect for Pakistan. He took nine wickets. Given Zimbabwe’s recent lack of experience with high-quality fast bowlers, Hasan Ali will pose a big challenge to them once more. He’ll almost certainly take more than a couple of wickets in the first match, and that’s a wager that might pay off.
Pakistan only had to bat once in the first match, and they would be pleased with their results. They lost their captain, Babar Azam, for a first-ball duck, but that didn’t stop them from scoring a respectable 426 runs. Fawad Alam, who has been on fire since making his debut against South Africa, led the way with a 204-ball 140.
Pakistan has a fantastic side on paper. They have a batting lineup that can go deep with Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf. Having said that, considering their top-form, order’s Pakistan’s tail is unlikely to be expected to put in desperate performances with the bat. Hasan Ali, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi will be tasked with carrying the ball and should not be taken lightly. Beating Pakistan should not be easy by any stretch of the imagination, as it was in the first match.