While context might be missing in this T20I series – especially for Pakistan, who have a Champions Trophy to worry about – we could be in for some intrigue
Danyal Rasool30-Nov-2024The T20 World Cup is about as far away as it can get. Zimbabwe still have to qualify for it, while ODIs remain Pakistan’s main focus ahead of the Champions Trophy next year, for which they are the official hosts. As such, the ODI series, which they wrapped up 2-1, will carry far greater significance for Pakistan than anything that happens in this T20I series in Bulawayo.Zimbabwe are looking to follow up their T20I dominance in the subregional qualifier with a higher-profile result this time, buoyed by their upset of Pakistan in the first ODI. They did start their five-match T20I series against India with a win earlier this year, and against a similarly experimental Pakistan side, they will fancy their chances of a win or two.Sikandar Raza leads the side in the absence of the experience of Sean Williams and Craig Ervine, while Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza and Ryan Burl return to the squad after their absence from the 50-over format. While the men’s side took on Pakistan in the ODI series, Madhevere scored a third-innings hundred for Eagles against Rhinos in the Logan Cup. None of the squad has had any T20 exposure since that subregional qualifier, but few will forget what happened in the sides’ most recent – and perhaps most famous – T20I encounter.Pakistan are unsure about their T20I side at present, as indicated by a late announcement on Friday that they were adding three players – Saim Ayub, Aamer Jamal and Abrar Ahmed – from the ODI squad into the T20I series following impressive showings over the past week.Zimbabwe’s batters have had a tough time in T20Is of late•Associated PressAfter Pakistan rested Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi from the tour, white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan is also out for the T20Is, with Salman Agha taking his place as captain. Ayub, who Pakistan initially called into the international set-up owing to his T20 prowess, has gradually become more useful to Pakistan in the longer formats, though his recall – he will start the first game – potentially puts him on the pathway to being Pakistan’s all-format opener.Balance, though, remains an intractable problem for Pakistan. The three-match T20I series against Australia saw them swept aside 3-0, being bowled out in both of the last two matches, after losing nine wickets in a seven-over contest in Brisbane. With Pakistan opting against playing an allrounder in the first game, that issue does persist, with a long tail in a side that features Irfan Khan at No. 7. He has managed just 79 runs across six innings on Pakistan’s tours of Australia and Zimbabwe so far, and Zimbabwe may sense Pakistan’s lower-middle order can be ran through.For Zimbabwe to give themselves the best chance, though, they have significant improvements to make with the bat. They finished with below-par totals in all three ODIs, and the bowlers had to bail them out in the first. No batter has looked in the kind of touch that threatened to control an innings, and wickets in clumps was a regular feature of the ODI series. The bowling they face will be a step-up from anything they have dealt with in the Logan Cup or the regional qualifier last month, and by now, Pakistan understand this is the most obvious vulnerability to exploit.Like the ODI series, though, both sides will ultimately move on from these three games fairly quickly once they are over. But as the Bulawayo crowd demonstrated over the previous three games, Queens Sports Club could be a very enjoyable place to be over the next week or so.