Pakistan's consolation victory over Zimbabwe
KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Pakistan emerged victorious for the first time in the 2007 World Cup after being ousted from the mega event when they beat Zimbabwe by 93 runs under D/L system in their last group 'D' World Cup match here.
Initially Zimbabwe were set a target of 350 runs but after a rain interruption match resumed with a revised target of 193 in 20 overs.
Zimbabwe who were reeling at 30 for three in 10.2 overs before rain interrupted the game were again in trouble and could not play well against Pakistani spinners Danish Kaneria and Shahid Afridi. Even Mohammad Yousuf, a non-regular bowler got his first ODI wicket from his only ball.
Afridi claimed three wickets for 20 runs. He also completed 200 wickets in his 238th match of his ODI career when he dismissed Gary Brent.
Kaneria and Umar Gul got two wickets each for 48 and 10 runs, respectively. Mohammad Sami also took one wicket for 15 runs.
Elton Chigumbura was the top scorer from Zimbabwe side with 27 runs from just 11 balls.
Earlier put in by Zimbabwean captain Prosper Utseya, Pakistan piled up a huge score of 349 runs in 49.5 overs, thanks to opener Imran Nazir's devastating career-best innings of 160 from 121 deliveries. This is the highest individual score by any batsman in this World Cup.
Imran hammered 14 fours and eight record equaling sixes to share the World Cup record with Australia's Ricky Ponting for hitting the most sixes in an innings. Ponting did it in 2002-03 when he hit eight sixes in his unbeaten innings of 140 against India at Johannesburg.
Pakistan's 349 is their highest World Cup innings and the eighth highest in the World Cup history. Pakistn's previous best was 338 for five in 60 overs against Sri Lanka at Swansea in the 1983 World Cup.
The main feature of the innings was captain Inzamam-ul-Haq's emotional exit from the ODI field. He scored 37 off 35 balls with three fours and the same number of sixes. He was given a warm send-off by the Zimbabwean and Pakistani players when Inzamam returned to pavilion with tears in his eyes.
Elton Chigumbura was the most successful Zimbabwean bowler who took three wickets for 50 runs.
Edited by kalli - 17 years ago
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