Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Day

3115dThe Report by Firdose Moonda

Wahab, Irfan put Pakistan on the board

Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz shared eight wickets between them, firing Pakistan to a 20-run win against Zimbabwe in Brisbane for their first of the tournament

2626dESPNcricinfo staff

Injured Chigumbura to miss Ireland game

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura has been ruled out of his team's next group B game, against Ireland on March 7, because of a grade three tear to the quadriceps muscle in his left leg

2626dFirdose Moonda

Zimbabwe let World Cup dream slip away

Harare 1995, Sheikhupera 1998, Harare 2013 and now, just 20 runs away from Brisbane 2015. Five fours. Three sixes and a two. So close. But Zimbabwean eyes would not have adored the end result.

3115dDaniel Brettig in Brisbane

Pakistan's bad cover version of 1992

The events in Brisbane may not matter much in the big picture of this World Cup, but to Misbah-ul-Haq and his men, it may yet be the spring board to repeat what happened 23 years ago

2626dDaniel Brettig in Brisbane

Yasir Shah's omission 'strategic' - Misbah

Pakistan's captain Misbah-ul-Haq has described the omission of the legspinner Yasir Shah from the team to play Zimbabwe as "strategic" and based upon the well-informed views of the assistant coach Grant Flower

2626dFirdose Moonda

Suspected quadriceps tear for Chigumbura

Elton Chigumbura, the Zimbabwe captain, was helped off the field in the 24th over of their group stage match against Pakistan with a suspected torn quadriceps

2626dFirdose Moonda in Brisbane

The inside knowledge in opposite camps

As Pakistan and Zimbabwe meet in Brisbane on Sunday, an important part of their strategies will be crafted by two men who have been on the other side - Grant Flower and Dav Whatmore

2626dDaniel Brettig

Misbah hits out at criticism from home

Pakistan's captain Misbah-ul-Haq has questioned the criticism of his side emanating from home, though he did acknowledge his team had been "pretty average" thus far in the World Cup

2626dFirdose Moonda in Brisbane

Zimbabwe can help reverse 10-team decision - Chigumbura

Elton Chigumbura hopes Zimbabwe's qualification to the next round would not only help them, but other associate nations in forcing a rethink of the ICC decision to reduce the size of the next World Cup

2626dAhmer Naqvi

The vices and virtues of Misbah

The debate about whether Misbah-ul-Haq is holding Pakistan back or holding them together is obscuring the team's real problems

Poor starts

22.6

Zimbabwe's average opening stand in their last 18 ODIs, with only one 50-plus partnership during this period

Possible, but tough

3-7

Win-loss record of teams that defended targets between 200 and 250 at the Gabba on the last-ten occasions.

Routine

40

ODI 50s without a ton by Misbah now - well clear of Andrew Jones' 25 such scores which is the second highest after Misbah.

First

1

No. of ducks in 21 World Cup inns by Afridi, this was his first. Overall, only Jayasuriya (34)has more ODI ducks than Afridi's 30.

Faster stand

55.10

SR of the stand between Misbah and Sohail; Misbah and Akmal added 50 runs at 92.59

Tough going

112

Balls taken by Pakistan to score fifty runs in this match - the second slowest of this World Cup. UAE took 2 more balls against India.

Sluggish

14

Runs scored by Pakistan in their first-ten overs - the second lowest they have scored in ODIs since 2001.

Opening chasm

21.28

Ave opening partnership in Group B so far; In Group A the opening wicket has added 48.95 runs on an average.

Opening Woes

6

Number of single-digit opening stands by Pakistan in their last-ten ODIs. Five of them have been of 1 run or less

Blank

0

Number of World Cup matches Zimbabwe have won against Pakistan. These teams have played each other 5 times (1 NR).