Shaheens fast bowlers shine with the ball on opening day

Seven wickets among right-arm pacers Mohammad Ali and Aamir Jamal helped Pakistan Shaheens bundled out Zimbabwe A for a paltry 163 on day one of the second four-day match at Mutare Sports Club in Mutare.

In turn, at stumps, Pakistan Shaheens were 115 for one in 24 overs and were trailing by 48 runs with nine wickets in hand. Captain Imran Butt (27, 33b, 4x4s) returned back to the pavilion after adding 63 runs for the opening wicket with Mohammad Huraira. Huraira (60 not out, 79b, 9x4s, 1x6) and Omair Bin Yousuf (19, 34b, 2x4s, 1x6) returned undefeated as they added an unbroken 52 runs for the second wicket.

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Earlier, after being put into bat, Zimbabwe A lost centurion from the last match Joylord Gumbie for seven to Ali with 12 runs on the board. After the departure of Gumbie, opening batter Tadiwanashe Marumani was joined by Dion Myers and the pair knitted 110 runs for the second wicket. Myers (50, 108b, 9x4s, 1x6) after scoring his fifth first-class half-century was next to return back to the hut. He was bowled by left-arm spinner Mehran Mumtaz, who bagged 11 wickets in Shaheens’ victory in the first four-day match.

At the score of 130, Marumani (66, 100b, 8x4s, 1x6) was caught by wicket-keeper Haseebullah off Aamir. Both Haseebullah and Aamir are playing their first match on the tour, after they replaced Rohail Nazir and Mir Hamza, respectively. Qasim Akram was the third change by Shaheens, who is playing in place of Mubasir Khan.

Following the departure of two set batters, Zimbabwe A were unable to recover and the pace bowling duo of Aamir and Ali were all over the opposition, bowling them out for 163 in 56.4 overs.

Ali returned with figures of four for 36 in 14.4 overs, while Aamir and Mehran snapped three wickets each.

Scores in brief:

Zimbabwe A 163 all out, 56.4 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 66, Dion Myers 50; Mohammad Ali 4-36, Mehran Mumtaz 3-36, Aamir Jamal 3-51)

Pakistan Shaheens 115-1, 24 overs (Mohammad Huraira 60 not out, Imran Butt 27, Omair Bin Yousuf 19 not out)