Lahore: Sikaner Raza scored a brilliant unbeaten hundred while opener Chamu Chibhabha missed his by one run as Zimbabwe posted 268-7 in the second one-day international against Pakistan in Lahore on Friday.
Pakistan-born Raza smashed an 84-ball 100 not out with eight fours and three sixes while Chibhabha’s career-best 100-ball knock had 11 fours and a six after Pakistan won the toss and opted to field at Gaddafi Stadium.
Raza was in brilliant form as he lifted Zimbabwe total with a flurry of boundaries, taking 59 in the last six overs.
This came after Chibhabha became the first Zimbabwean batsman to be dismissed for 99 in a one-day international.
Before Chibhabha three Zimbabwean batsmen — Malcolm Waller, Alistair Campbell and Andy Flower — all made 99 in a one-day for Zimbabwe but they all remained not out.
Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match — also in Lahore — by 41 runs.
Zimbabwe, forced to make four changes after their regular captain Elton Chigumbura was suspened for two matche over slow over rate in the previous game, were given a solid but slow start of 83 by Chibhabha and Vusi Sibanda (13).
Hamilton Masakadza, leading the team in Chigumbura’s absence, fell for 18 when he was adjudged caught in the slip but television replays showed the ball only hit his arm.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah dismissed Masakadza and Sean Williams (five) to finish with 2-40 in his ten overs.
Chibhabha, whose previous best one-day score of 73 came against the West Indies at Harare in 2007, was shaping well for his hundred but was caught behind off a miscued sweep on the bowling of spinner Shoaib Malik.
Raza then lifted the tempo with some big hitting, taking 17 off Mohammad Sami’s 48th over before reaching his second one-day hundred in the final over. (AFP)
