PAKISTAN TOUR OF ZIMBABWE, 2018 Malcolm Waller , the Zimbabwe batsman, has withdrawn from the ODI squad for the series against Pakistan, citing labour-practice laws, according to a report on ESPNCricinfo. Waller's unavailability means that Zimbabwe are without eight of their regular players for the series against Pakistan. Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer, Sean Williams and Craig Ervine were not in the Zimbabwe squads for the T20I tri-series that recently concluded. Apart from this Kyle Jarvis and Solomon Mire were ruled out due to injuries.<doc-sep>BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe: Pakistan has won the toss and elected to field during its first match against Zimbabwe in Pakistan v Zimbabwe One-day International series starting today. Captain Sarfraz Ahmed expects the hosting to be tough opponents in their home conditions as their tour moves to Bulawayo for five games in the longer of cricket’s two short formats. “The one-day series is important, and it’s not easy to play Zimbabwe in their home conditions,” said Sarfraz.“The matches are also starting very early. It’s probably even more cold in Bulawayo too, so it’s not going to be an easy series,” he said. The match is due to start at 12:15 p.m. (PST).<doc-sep>Imam ul Haq in action during the first of a 5-match ODI series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, on July 13, 2018. Photo:AFP BULAWAYO: Pakistan leg spinner Shadab Khan on Friday credited his team´s recent successes on their camaraderie after a crushing win over Zimbabwe in the opening game of a five-match one-day series. After Pakistan won by 201 runs in Bulawayo, Khan, who starred with the ball, was asked to explain his team´s form. "We´re very good friends, and maybe that´s why," Khan said. "If anyone in the team performs, the whole team appreciates them." Khan and opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq delivered career-best efforts to ensure that Pakistan controlled the match throughout. Imam cracked a career-best 128 to set up Pakistan´s 308 for 7 after they had been put in to bat under grey, wintery skies this morning. Then Khan made short work of Zimbabwe´s lower order to collect 4 for 32 as the hosts were bowled out in the 35th over. "I´m very happy with the career best, and I´ll try to bowl even better in the next game," Khan said, adding that the surface "was a bit on the slow side. I´ve been here with Pakistan A, in 2016, and I knew it was a slow pitch. And it helped us as well, especially me as a spinner." Imam was backed up by Fakhar Zaman, who continued his good form with 60, and Asif Ali, who smashed a rapid 46 on debut to boost Pakistan´s total after they had been put in to bat under grey, wintery skies this morning. Pakistan started slowly with the bat. With the new ball nipping around Imam played and missed at several deliveries and was lucky to survive an edge off fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, the ball dropping just in front of second slip. But Imam gritted his way through the difficult patch, and, with Fakhar scoring fluently, Pakistan put on an opening stand of 113 in under 25 overs. Fakhar brought up his fourth fifty of Pakistan´s tour but then hit a return catch to debutant offspinner Liam Roche. Imam then shifted through the gears to bring up a 109-ball hundred in the 37th over. Zimbabwe´s bowlers struck back at the death with Tendai Chatara and Donald Tiripano picking up two apiece, as Pakistan lost five wickets in the last 10 overs. "We thought 300 was a very good total," said Khan. "In the first few overs it was very difficult to survive out there, but Imam and Fakhar batted really well so we were happy to eventually get 300." Pakistan´s seamers were disciplined with the new ball, and were rewarded with five top-order wickets inside the first 15 overs. Ryan Murray, on debut, was the only Zimbabwean batsman to come to terms with Pakistan´s attack, compiling a tidy unbeaten 32 but Khan dismissed four of Zimbabwe´s last five to ensure the hosts slumped to the lowest ODI total recorded at the Queens Sports Club "He bowled to our lower order and they battled to pick him," said Murray. "He bowled really well, not taking that away from him, but maybe if we had some top order batsmen facing him he wouldn´t have got as many dismissals. It´s always tough trying to pick a leggie when you´re not a specialised batsman." The teams face each other again in the second match of the five-game series at the same ground on Sunday.<doc-sep>
Solid batting performances by openers Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman helped Pakistan score 308/7 in the first one-day international against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on Friday. The hosts won the toss and invited Pakistan to take guard. Imam-ul-Haq was the top scorer for the green shirts as he made 128 runs from 134 deliveries with 11 boundaries to his name. His opening partner Fakhar Zaman contributed 60 runs with the bat which included seven fours. Asif Ali pitched in with 25-ball 46 run knock with the help of four boundaries and two maximums. Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik made 30 and 22 runs respectively for the team. Tendai Chatara and Donald Tiripano grabbed two wickets each in the match while Blessing Muzarabani, Liam Roche and Wellington Masakadze ended up with a wicket each. The green shirts are heading into the ODI series with a Twenty20 tri-series win over the hosts and Australia. Zimbabwe Cricket, on the other hand, are dealing with financial and injury crisis of their own. Opening batsman Solomon Mire and Kyle Jarvis have been ruled out from the ODI series due to injuries. According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, Zimbabwe Cricket had to postpone domestic tournaments and struggled to pay players and employees due to monetary issues. Zimbabwe have lost four of their previous five 50 overs encounters against Pakistan. Squads: Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Asif Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (captain and wicket keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Usman Khan, Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, Haris Sohail Zimbabwe: Brian Chari, Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chisoro, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Hamilton Masakadza (captain), Wellington Masakadza, Peter Moor, Ryan Murray, Tarisai Musakanda, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Liam Roche, Donald Tiripano, Malcolm Waller.