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Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pakistan v Zimbabwe, 2nd T20, Lahore[RIGHT]May 23, 2015[/RIGHT]Focus on cricket after emotions settle
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Match facts
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Start time 1900 local (1400GMT)
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Shahid Afridi gave the Lahore crowd a brief taster of what they want © AFPBig picture
Something would have seemed amiss had the first match of Pakistan’s return home ended in anything other than victory for them. They chased down 173 to put cricket at the forefront of a series threatened to be swept up in sentiment. Now that the emotional tide has settled somewhat, both teams will feel they can get down to business.
For Pakistan, it will be finding consistency in the bowling attack and solidity in the middle order, which they will ultimately hope will lead to securing a trophy at home. Wahab Riaz’s waywardness will be an area of concern, especially if the third seamer is as expensive as Bilawal Bhatti was in the first match. While Pakistan will be pleased with the way Mukhtar Ahmed partnered Ahmed Shehzad, they will also want runs from the senior men Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik.
For Zimbabwe, it will be building up the confidence to press home any advantage they may get and square a series to set themselves up for the ODIs. Zimbabwe are equally as unused to being ahead of the game as they are to playing in front of massive crowds and the effects of that showed in the first game. After posting a decent total, their bowlers began poorly and the pressure from the partisan crowd mounted. But they will know they competed deep into the game and will now want to take that one step further by ending up on the right side of the result.
Form guide
**Pakistan WLLWL (last five matches, most recent first)
**Zimbabwe LWWLL
In the spotlight
****It’s difficult to imagine **Shahid Afridi overwhelmed but he appeared exactly that in the way he managed his bowlers in the first match. He seemed to be rotating them on feel rather than plan but composed himself enough by the time he needed to bat and hit the winning runs to seal cricket’s comeback to his country. His home crowd will hope that the one delivery Afridi faced, which he bludgeoned over the bowler’s head, was just a taster for bigger innings.
******Since his second stint as captain began, **Elton Chigumbura has notched up his highest ODI (90) and T20 (54) score but the increased responsibility is not the only reason for his improving form. Chigumbura has been bumped up the order to bat in the top five and spending more time at the crease seems to be paying off. Both Chigumbura’s career bests came in losing causes and the man himself has said that he would find it more rewarding if his next major contribution concludes with a victory.
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Elton Chigumbura has said he would find it more rewarding if his next major contribution concludes with a victory © AFP************
Team news
******Pakistan’s victory would suggest that no changes are needed but they may want everyone in their T20 squad to get a run at home. Nauman Anwar, Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim and Hammad Azam are the four members of the squad who did not play the first match and may come into contention.
********Pakistan: 1 Ahmed Shahzad, 2 Mukhtar Ahmed, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Umar Akmal, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Shahid Afridi (capt), 7 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Anwar Ali, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Mohammad Sami, 11 Bilawal Bhatti
******After a spirited performance in the first match, Zimbabwe will not have much reason to change their XI, but may want to look at giving another seamer an opportunity. Tawanda Mupariwa could come in for Tinashe Panyangara while Craig Ervine could be used in the middle order in Sikandar Raza’s place.
********Zimbabwe: 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Charles Coventry, 4 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 5 Sean Williams, 6 Sikandar Raza/Craig Ervine, 7 Richmond Mutumbami (wk) 8 Graeme Cremer, 9 Tinashe Panyangara/Tawanda Mupariwa, 10 Chris Mpofu, 11 Brian Vitori
******Pitch and conditions
******There will be more runs on offer on a surface that is tailor-made for big totals and that’s not the only reason the fielders will be wary. Sunday is expected to be even hotter than Friday was, with day-time temperatures reaching 44 degrees.
Stats and trivia
[LIST=|INDENT=4]
[li]Zimbabwe have only scored more than 170 in a T20 on four occasions and only reached 200 once.. Their 172 for 6 in the first match was their fourth highest total in the format.[/li][li]The last time Pakistan won a T20 series of more than one match was against Zimbabwe, in August 2013. They have played four two-match T20 series since then, lost one and drawn three.[/li][/LIST]
Quotes
******“I don’t think so you will find Ajmal in near future, it’s definitely a thing which is missing.”
*Pakistan’s coach **Waqar Younis admits he’d like his most potent spinner back in the set-up soon
Focus on cricket after emotions settle | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo*********
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Zimbabwe have won the toss and chose to bat first…
Hafeez, Sarfraz & Wahab Riaz have been rested…Nauman, Rizwan & Imad replace them…
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Two changes for Zimbabwe. Utseya and Chibhabha replace Panyangara and Mutumbami.
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Zim 50/0 off 6.0 overs…
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Zim 83/1 the halfway… ![]()
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Why so sudden all matches tickets sold..?Now available in Black.. Bull****..
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Zimbabwe 173/3 (19.4/20 ov)
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Zimbabwe 175/3 (20/20 ov)
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pakistan to chase 176 runs…not a piece of cake but
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2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Well bat Zim. Pakistani bowling looks so weak nowadays. Does anybody know why wahab Riaz is dropped?
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pakistan 2/0 (0.2/20 ov)
Pakistan require another 174 runs with 10 wickets and 19.4 overs remaining
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pakistan 32/0 (2.6/20 ov)
Pakistan require another 144 runs with 10 wickets and 17.0 overs remaining
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pak 47/1 off 6.0 overs…
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pakistan 52/1 (6.2/20 ov)
Pakistan require another 124 runs with 9 wickets and 13.4 overs remaining
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pakistan 57/1 (6.5/20 ov)
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
To make way for another player.
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Pakistan 80/1 (8/20 ov)
Pakistan require another 96 runs with 9 wickets and 12.0 overs remaining
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
Both anwar n much tar playing nicely. But they cannot slow down.
Re: 2nd T20I: Pak v Zim at Lahore, May 24, 2015 (19:00 local | 14:00 GMT | 15:00 BST)
2nd down but well played Nauman Anwar. He can be a good finding.