Pakistan, led by an Abdul Razzaq century, coasted to a 144-run victory over Zimbabwean the first match of a triangular one-day series here on Thursday.
The inexperienced Zimbabwe side were bowled out for 148 in 38.3 overs, Vusi Sibanda top scoring with 57, and never looked capable of reaching Pakistan's daunting 292 for seven.
It was Zimbabwe's 11th straight one-day loss after 15 rebel white players refused to play for their country in an ongoing row over alleged racism in Zimbabwe cricket.
Pakistan were in trouble early, losing three wickets for six runs then lurching to 36 for four with Tinashe Panyangara and Douglas Hondo doing the early damage, while the slower bowlers restricted Pakistan to 146 for six in the 40th over.
However, captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (73), Razzaq (107) and Shahid Afridi (58) exploded with 145 runs in the final 10 overs.
Razzaq and Afridi added 107 for the seventh wicket from just 46 balls, with Razzaq completing his second hundred in his 171st one-day international and finishing unbeaten on 107.
Setting up a new partnership record against Zimbabwe, Razzaq brought up his century with a straight four off Panyangara in the final over, reaching the milestone from 110 balls including five fours and four sixes.
Afridi was out after a quickfire 58 from only 26 balls, including five fours and four sixes.
Zimbabwe never caused any problems for the Pakistani bowlers who held control from the start.
Openers Brendon Taylor and Stuart Matsikenyeri played and missed against Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved and were dismissed by the fifth over before Sibanda and Dion Ebrahim (29) staged a third wicket stand of 56 runs.
Spinners Shoaib Malik (three for 37) and Afridi (three for 18) then steadily ran through the order, grabbing the last six wickets.
Sri Lanka are the other side in the tournament.
SCOREBOARD:
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Pakistan
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Yasir Hameed c Taibu b Panyangara 0
Bazid Khan c Taibu b Panyangara 12
Shoaib Malik lbw Hondo 1
Yousuf Youhana c Taibu b Hondo 1
Inzamam-ul-Haq lbw Utseya 73
Abdul Razzaq not out 107
Moin Khan st Taibu b Taylor 7
Shahid Afridi b Hondo 58
Rana Naved not out 16
Extras (lb-3 w-11 nb-3) 17
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Total (for seven wickets, 50 overs)292
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Fall of wickets: 1-0 2-2 3-6 4-36 5-131 6-146 7-253
Did not bat: Iftikhar Anjum Rao, Shoaib Akhtar.
Bowling: Panyangara 10-3-52-2 (nb-1, w-2), Hondo 10-1-54-3 (nb-1, w-2), Chigumbura 6-0-64-0 (nb-1, w-2), Utseya 10-1-31-1, Nkala 6-0-47-0 (w-1), Matsikenyeri 6-0-35-0 (w-4), Taylor 2-0-6-1
ZIMBABWE:
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B.Taylor b Shoaib Akhtar 5
S.Matsikenyeri lbw Rana Naved 0
V.Sibanda c Moin Khan b Shoaib Malik 57
D.Ebrahim b Abdul Razzaq 29
M.Vermeulen c Bazid Khan b Iftikhar Anjum Rao 10
T.Taibu b Shahid Afridi 3
E.Chigumbura lbw Shahid Afridi 9
M.Nkala c Abdul Razzaq b Shoaib Malik 14
T.Panyangara b Shoaib Malik 9
P.Utseya not out 0
D.Hondo b Shahid Afridi 1
Extras (lb-3 w-7 nb-1) 11
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Total (all out in 38.3 overs) 148
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Fall of wickets: 1-4 2-8 3-64 4-81 5-96 6-117 7-122 8-144 9-145
Bowling: Shoaib Akhtar 6-0-14-1, Rana Naved 5-0-15-1 (nb-1, w-2), Rao Iftikhar 7-1-41-1, Abdul Razzaq 6-1-20-1, Shoaib Malik 8-0-37-3 (w-4), Shahid Afridi 6.3-1-18-3 (w-1).
Result: Pakistan won by 144 runs.
Next match: October 3 - Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Peshawar.
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