Pakistan's daunting task for Zimbabwe

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/2013/08/11 ... -zimbabwe/

Fresh from a lacklustre one day international (ODI) series against world champions India, Zimbabwe face what could be a more insurmountable home task against a near-full strength Pakistan later this month.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MADYIRA

Pakistan are expected in Harare next week for the month-long tour, that comprises two T20 matches, three ODIs and two Tests.

The series runs from August 23 to September 14, as Pakistan returns to Zimbabwe exactly two years after they completed a whitewash over the Brendan Taylor captained side in all formats of the game.

Interestingly, Taylor and Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq were respective captains of their sides in that 2011 series.

What makes Zimbabwe’s mission one not to relish is the fact that Pakistan is bringing a squad, stronger than India who sent a depleted side.

Zimbabwe is walking wounded after being crushed by India in the five-match ODI series largely undone by a woeful batting display.

What cruelly exposed Zimbabwe’s batsman is that they struggled at the face of fringe Indian bowlers.

Although Pakistan have left behind spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, as well as pacemen Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they still have a solid bowling attack in the game’s all formats.

Scaring for the Zimbabweans would be the presence of Saeed Ajmal, who is arguably the world’s best spin bowler and would feature in all formats.

He would be complimented by towering pacer Mohammad Irfan in ODI and T20 matches, while left-arm seamer and Test specialist Wahab Riaz form part of a celebrated culture of Pakistan’s fast bowlers.

Following a pathetic showing in the Champions Trophy in which they could not win even a single match, Pakistan recovered in the ODI and T20 series in the West Indies recently. But Zimbabwe failed to conquer in the Caribbean in March when they suffered losses in all their ODI and T20 outings while Pakistan managed to post 3-1 and 2-0 wins in ODI and T20s respectively.

While Zimbabwe performed fairly in Bangladesh’s tour of the country in May, the India outing was a disaster and a forgettable start for Andy Waller as coach.

Taylor was disappointing behind the stumps, especially in the fourth and fifth ODIs in Bulawayo with back-to-back ducks from a total of 20 deliveries.

“Personally, it was the worst series I have ever had in my career. I will try to relax and enjoy against Pakistan and not put myself under unnecessary pressure,” Taylor told Standardsport.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers showed potential against India, inviting plaudits from the tourists’ skipper Virat.

But an uninspiring batting saw Elton Chigumbura — who made two half tons — blasting his fellow batsmen for “lacking determination.”

His captain Taylor, lamented lack of mental strength from the team, but however believe they would wake up from their deep slumber this time around.

“We need to put in some serious work, especially in our batting. We know Pakistan are coming with a full-strength squad and they played well against West Indies recently. But I am sure we will bounce back,” said Tayor.

“We are at home and a bit more comfortable because we understand our conditions.”

Waller is yet to name the squad for Pakistan’s tour.