BULAWAYO: Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in first one day
international against Zimbabwe. The team management has included Shoaib
Malik in today's playing eleven.Pakistan will look to maintain
the winning momentum in the limited-over series starting here on
Thursday following their seven-wicket triumph in the one-off Test
between the two teams.The form of their top order batsmen -
Mohammad Hafeez (119), Azhar Ali (75), Younis Khan (88) and
Misbah-ul-Haq (66), who were amongst the runs in the Test - will be
crucial for Pakistan And the way their off-spinner Saeed Ajmal
foxed the Zimbabwe batsmen, he could well be the ace Pakistan hold over
their opponents.The three-match ODI series will be Zimbabwe's
biggest test in limited-overs cricket since the tri-series against India
and Sri Lanka last year, and they will want to use it as an opportunity
to show their proficiency against teams regarded as tougher opposition
than the likes of Bangladesh, Kenya and Ireland. Some have
suggested that the Queens Sports Club is jinxed for the local team.
Brendan Taylor was having none of the conspiracy theories though, and
said the hosts only have themselves to blame for the poor showing at the
venue and he would like them to change that record. Pakistan's
returns in ODI cricket have been solid since their showing at the World
Cup, where they reached the semifinals. They beat West Indies in a
five-match series, although they lost two dead-rubbers, and also beat
Ireland in a two-match series. They would be unhappy with anything less
than a win here. Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Younis
Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (C), Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal (WK),
Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema.Zimbabwe:
CJ Chibhabha, V Sibanda, H Masakadza, BRM Taylor (C), T Taibu†, MN
Waller, GA Lamb, E Chigumbura, P Utseya, RW Price, CB Mpofu.
