Hafeez leads Pakistan to 85-run victory

HARARE: Pakistan stamped their authority over Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Friday, winning the first of two Twenty20 matches by a huge 85 runs.

Mohammad Hafeez was the star of the show, scoring 71 before taking four wickets.

Pakistan raced to 198 for four -- a record against Zimbabwe -- with the highest previously set by South Africa with 194-6 at Kimberley last year.

Then they bundled out Zimbabwe for 113 in the 16th over, condemning the home side to a fifth successive loss to the tourists, who also won the one-off Test as well as three one-day internationals.

"Everyone is taking up their responsibility. Especially Hafeez, the way he's gone. Asad Shafiq too played very well," said Pakistan skipper Misbah Ul Haq.

"We just wanted the top order to play normal cricketing shots, and that's just what they did. The credit for the fielding goes to both coaches. Everyone understands how important this aspect of the game is these days, and the boys have worked hard to get to this level."

Brendan Taylor won the toss for Zimbabwe and put Pakistan into bat.

Hafeez and Asad Shafiq responded by racing to 34 in three overs and the tone was set with 10 boundaries struck off the first 27 balls.

Shafiq's 38 came off 34 balls and man-of-the-match Hafeez's 71 required only 48. Near the end of the innings, when Pakistan were attempting to clear the 200 mark, Sohail Tanveer hit five balls off the last over available to him for 15 runs.

Zimbabwe were never going to get close to the 199 set them for victory, and apart from Chamu Chibhabha's 28 and Charles Coventry's 30 there was next to no resistance.

The home side found themselves at two down for 13 and then 37 for three with the match already wrapped by Misbah Ul Haq's side.

Opener Vusi Sibanda's dismissal came from a wonderful overhead catch by Misbah while the run-out of Tatenda Taibu by Hafeez was remarkable for speed and throwing accuracy.

Pakistan play Zimbabwe again here on Sunday in the tour finale.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011