Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first as they locked horns with Zimbabwe in their first match of the three-match ODI series on Sunday.
The match is being played at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
This is Green Shirts’ second ODI series this month after they beat Australia 2-1 in a historic achievement down under earlier this month. Former fast bowler and member Men’s National Selection Committee, Aqib Javed has been appointed as the interim white-ball head coach of the Pakistan team until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at home. The ODI series against Zimbabwe will be his first assignment in this role after he joined the team on Friday.
Pakistan’s ODI squad, led by Mohammad Rizwan, reached Zimbabwe on Wednesday and had three extensive practice sessions in the lead-up to the ODI series. In the 15-member squad, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been replaced with uncapped duo of Abrar Ahmed and Ahmed Daniyal along with pacer Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir.
Pakistan and Zimbabwe last faced each other in the 50-over format in November 2020 in Rawalpindi where Pakistan beat the visitors 2-1. Pakistan, on their last visit to Zimbabwe whitewashed the Chevrons in a five-match ODI series in July 2018.
The ODI series will be followed by a three-match T20Is at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Skipper Mohammad Rizwan said the ODI series against Zimbabwe was equally important for the Green Shirts as they aimed to test their bench strength and planed towards the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at home.
“With the help of the Almighty, we aim to keep the winning momentum from our last ODI series going.
“With the trio of our main players resting up after the Australia series, it will be exciting to see other players putting their hands up and helping the team at various times during the 50-over contests.
“Having played against the home team various times, we do expect them to put up challenges for us during the three ODIs but crucially this series will also test our temperament in terms of backing up a historic win in Australia.”
Pakistan ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Shahnawaz Dahani, Saim Ayub, and Tayyab Tahir
Zimbabwe ODI squad: Craig Ervine (captain), Brian Bennett, Blessing Muzarabani, Brandon Mavuta, Clive Madande, Dion Myers, Faraz Akram, Joylord Gumbie, Richard Ngarava, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tashinga Musekiwa, Tinotenda Maposa and Trevor Gwandu.
Schedule of matches: (All matches to be played at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo)
Nov 24 — 1st ODI vs Zimbabwe (12:30pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST))
Nov 26 — 2nd ODI vs Zimbabwe (12:30pm PST)
Nov 28 — 3rd ODI vs Zimbabwe (12:30pm PST)
Dec 1 — 1st T20I vs Zimbabwe (4pm PST)
Dec 3 — 2nd T20I vs Zimbabwe (4pm PST)
Dec 5 — 3rd T20I vs Zimbabwe (4pm PST)
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
