Pakistan v Zimbabwe, T20 Canada, King City

Pakistan 110 for 3 (Shoaib Khan 50, Butt 33*) beat

Zimbabwe 107 for 8 (Masakadza 53*, Alam 3-7) by seven wickets

A mismatch on paper, a mismatch on the pitch. Pakistan romped to an easy seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe, knocking off the required 108 runs with Shoaib Khan jnr stroking an even 50.

Zimbabwe briefly threatened to make it a contest thanks to an aggressive and uncomplicated 53 from Hamilton Masakadza, but none of his team-mates could match his ability in shot-selection. The next highest score was extras with 18, and against a batting side of the depth and natural strokeplay of Pakistan, their bowlers were equally unable to defend such a low total.

Nevertheless, Masakadza briefly exposed the rustiness in Pakistan's armoury, taking a particular fancy to Abdur Rauf. After he was cracked behind square off the back foot, Masakadza then swivelled a six over square-leg, before bettering this with two stronger pulls off Anwar Ali, one of which landed in the road. Pakistan's bowling was predictably short, and Zimbabwe took toll to bring up their fifty in just the sixth over.

At the other end, Cephas Zhuwawo virtually static in his scoring, and a top-edge off Umar Gul failed to help his confidence. An ugly slog-sweep off Shoaib Malik did for him in the next over, and Pakistan had their breakthrough at 62 for 1. There was very little substance or fight thereafter from Zimbabwe, and Fawad Alam took centre-stage. A bullet-throw from the deep ran out Masakadza, who had just brought up a fine 35-ball fifty while Afridi beat Tatenda Taibu in the flight. Chamu Chibhabha hung around for 35 minutes, scoring 8, and became Alam's second wicket when he slapped him to long-off.

From 81 for 1, Zimbabwe lost 7 for 26, and a target of 108 was never likely to trouble Pakistan. They did lose their gun-opener, Afridi - typically attempting orbit and beyond with a huge heave - but Khan and Salman Butt played a fine hand with a partnership of 96 in just over 15 overs.

After losing Afridi, Khan propelled Pakistan forward with a classical off-drive, bisecting mid-off and the stumps, before he lifted Chigumbura for another over his head. Butt took toll of Chigumbura's floaty half-volleys, launching one over his head as Pakistan sprinted to the finishing line. No Zimbabwe bowler was spared - Ray Price began poorly with five wides down to fine-leg, and lacked control thereafter.

Unfortunately, Khan fell for an even fifty from 54 balls when he was brilliantly caught by Taibu, diving to his right. Appropriately, however, it allowed Alam to come in and flick the winning runs down to fine-leg, as Pakistan eased home with an over to spare.

Pakistan v Zimbabwe, 3rd ODI, Multan

Pakistan 272 for 9 ( Afridi 85, Mupariwa 4-46) beat

Zimbabwe 235 for 7 (Williams 71, Taylor 55) by 37 runs

Pakistan wrapped up the Mobilink Cup with a comfortable 37-run victory over Zimbabwe in what was, ultimately a dour, lifeless encounter in Multan. The only spark was provided, inevitably, by Shahid Afridi, who lit up the affair with a 52-ball 85, in the process rescuing Pakistan from a perilous 78 for 5. Zimbabwe battled away in their chase of 273, in particular Sean Williams and Brendan Taylor, but as has been the case at various points on this tour, they let healthy advantages slip.

In Hyderabad, they frittered away a promising position going in to the final ten overs and then dropped catches to make matters worse. Here, they had Pakistan reeling halfway through their innings, but somehow managed to concede nearly 200 runs in the second half, to essentially, the lower-order.

Until then, they had been disciplined, which was the doing mostly of Tawanda Mupariwa and fine opening spells from Elton Chigumbura and Gary Brent. The tone was set from the very first over of the innings, Chigumbura probing outside Salman Butt's off stump. It was a maiden and many more followed as Brent, at Mark Ealham's pace, found some lovely away-going curve against a left-handed opening pair.

Brent finally found reward for an outstanding spell when Butt cut to point in the 15th over. Thereafter, as Chigumbura finished his quota, Mupariwa took charge with a career- best spell. His first ball, a delicious, tempting in-dipper trapped Younis Khan in front. In his very next over, Nasir Jamshed pulled straight to short midwicket.

Zimbabwe were ecstatic when Shoaib Malik was run out, and they went beyond as Mupariwa reeled in the big one, Mohammad Yousuf. In truth, they didn't so much lose grip as have it snatched away from them by Afridi. He came in to this series the subject of debate: selectors wanted him to play, the team management were not keen. And yet, he has been indispensable thus far, taking wickets in Karachi, taking Pakistan over the line in Hyderabad and saving some blushes here.

With six sixes in the match, Shahid Afridi equalled Sanath Jayasuriya's

record for most number of sixes in ODIs

Afridi's methods were no surprise; he equalled Sanath Jayasuriya as the leading ODI six-hitter, blasting six of them here and he was busy through the innings, running hard, but forever with an eye on the big heave. Ray Price was lofted for the first six and by the time Chamu Chibhabha was struck for two more a little later, a 34-ball 50 had been brought up.

Misbah-ul-Haq provided typically Misbhah-esque support, running hard, improvising and finding the occasional boundary, but this was Afridi's show. Keith Dabengwa was lofted and bludgeoned as a century stand came up, but just when a first hundred in nearly three years loomed, he miscued Mupariwa to point. A few overs later Misbah fell in typically Misbah-esque fashion, reverse-sweeping, but Pakistan pushed on to a daunting total.

Zimbabwe still had a chance, as Pakistan's bowling hadn't made an impression through the series and the wicket was flat. Sohail Tanvir, the one bowler who has made a mark, stymied early, fanciful notions sending back both openers. When Tatenda Taibu was run out in the 15th with just 50 on the board, it seemed over.

But Williams and Taylor then revived the innings with a partnership which put Zimbabwe in control of another portion of the game. They went about it intelligently, picking up the few boundaries they could, but hustling every run on offer. Williams hit three boundaries in his 50 and Taylor only two, yet the two put on 105 at just under five an over.

But just when it seemed Zimbabwe would launch a final surge, they again let slip the initiative. Taylor was stumped in the 36th over, with 118 still needed, and as so often happens, the partner went soon after. With Williams went the match. Pakistan will be concerned at an inability to bowl out Zimbabwe a third game running, but the visitors will rue yet another game where they were in it at various stages, only to lose it at critical moments.

Man of The Match: Shahid Afridi

Patron's XI v Zimbabweans, Karachi, 1st day

Patron's XI 65 for 0 (Jamshed 48*, Latif 17*) trail Zimbabweans 209 (Taylor 64, Taibu 46, Afridi 4-37, Yasir 3-42) by 144 runs

The Patron's XI openers put on an unbroken 65-run partnership after their legspinners grabbed seven wickets to bowl out the Zimbabweans for 209 on the opening day of the tour match in Karachi.

Opting to bat, the Zimbabweans failed to capitalise on a 62-run third-wicket partnership and lost their last six wickets for only 27 runs. After Hamilton Masakadza, their stand-in captain in place of the injured Prosper Utseya, fell on the seventh ball of the innings, the Zimbabweans were carried past 50 by Brendan Taylor and Vusi Sibanda. While defensive play was the order of the morning, Taylor made it a point to latch onto anything wide of off stump. Cutting an impressive Sohail Khan to bring up his first boundary, Taylor then creamed Kamran Hussain through extra cover to ease off some pressure.

While Sibanda perished to a catch behind the stumps, Taylor shifted gears and smashed Afridi over long-on for the first six of the morning. He then guided Sohail through gully and then dispatched an overpitched delivery through extra cover for another four. Tatenda Taibu, too, was in no mood to hang around. Following Taylor's dismissal to a loose stroke off Yasir, Taibu, sensing Yasir as the weakest link in the bowling attack, swept the legspinner over midwicket for four before a similar shot fetched him a couple. However, with the next four deliveries reverse-swept - resulting in two fours, a dot ball and a leg-before appeal - Taibu made his intentions quite clear.

While Sean Williams was particularly harsh on Afridi - driving him through the covers and sweeping him over midwicket for a six - a reverse-sweep too many resulted in Taibu's dismissal - taken at slip off Afridi - for a 60-ball 46. That was as good as it got for the touring side as the spin combination of Afridi and Yasir, as well as Fawad Alam - who managed Williams' wicket in his first over - ran through their lower order. In search of quick runs, the Zimbabweans missed out on an ideal opportunity for batting practice in their first outing of the tour.

In reply, Nasir Jamshed and Khalid Latif started aggressively as Jamshed - with 800 runs in the recently-concluded Quaid-e-Azam Trophy behind him - drove Christopher Mpofu through extra cover before pulling Elton Chigumbura through midwicket for fours. The introduction of spin failed to break the partnership, with Ray Price's flighted delivery duly dispatched over long-off by Jamshed.

With a strong batting line-up, Patron's XI will look to score quick runs on the second day and aim to use a a pitch which is expected to deteriorate with time to their advantage.

Assassination casts doubt over Zimbabwe tour

The immediate fate of Zimbabwe's tour to Pakistan hangs in delicate balance following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, an incident that has sparked violence throughout the country.

Zimbabwe are due to arrive in Pakistan on January 12 and are scheduled to play two warm-up matches as well as a series of five ODIs, beginning January 26. But that schedule was thrown into doubt following yesterday's suicide attack which killed Bhutto shortly after an election campaign rally in Rawalpindi. Since then, the main urban centres of Pakistan - including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad - have witnessed heavy rioting and violence.

Understandably, given the proximity of the incident, no decision has been taken yet. The nation is in official mourning for three days, a stance echoed by Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"This is a huge national tragedy and a time of mourning for the whole country. I feel it is not appropriate to talk about cricket just now. We will look at the situation in 2-3 days,"

Ashraf said.

Another senior board official said the Zimbabwe board had not been in touch yet.

"Nobody from the Zimbabwe board has yet got in touch with us about the situation,"

the official said. When asked specifically whether the tour would go ahead, he said,

"As of this immediate moment, it is on. But ultimately your guess is as good as mine."

Zimbabwe play their first ODI in Hyderabad, another city particularly badly hit by a night of rioting; they are also scheduled to spend considerable time in Karachi, before playing in Multan, Faisalabad and Sheikhupura.

Clouding the matter further is the fate of the general elections, which were scheduled to be held on January 8, days before the tourists arrive. In the aftermath of the assassination, there are suggestions they may be postponed. In either case, however, reports are warning that further violence in coming days may be inevitable, extending a year of already tremendous political tumult in the country.

Australia, who are due to tour Pakistan in March, have adopted a wait-and-see policy. They are due to send a security delegation to the country in February, after which they will decide on the tour.

Zimbabwe and Pakistan both need the series to go ahead

Speculation that Zimbabwe will reconsider the wisdom of going ahead with their tour of Pakistan following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto assumes that Zimbabwe are as safety conscious as other most Full Member countries. The reality is that cancellation is that last thing on the minds of Zimbabwe Cricket at the moment.

Over the last four years Zimbabwe has constantly played down suggestions that it is an unsafe destination for tours or that the political situation is such that it would be wrong for sides to visit. It would be the height of hypocrisy for those in charge to now turn round and use those same arguments against Pakistan, however different the reality of their two situations might be.

In inviting Zimbabwe to tour at all the Pakistan board took a leap of faith as there is no way such a series makes economic sense. For Zimbabwe Cricket, such invitations are few and far between and to snub it now, however understandable the reasons, might leave the team in limbo for some time.

It is vital to the Pakistan board, too, that Zimbabwe go ahead with the tour because hot on their heels come Australia. If Zimbabwe argue that the situation is too unsafe for them to proceed then the chances of the Australian tour happening reduce significantly. It's looking shaky even now. The financial implications of that to the cash-strapped Pakistan board are huge.

Zimbabwe Cricket has relied on the support of the Asian countries in its ongoing battle to maintain Full Member status, and it is aware that it cannot afford to rattle that alliance. That Zimbabwe remain at cricket's top table is more to do with behind-the-scenes politics than cricket-related arguments. With Peter Chingoka, the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, facing the results of a potentially devastating forensic audit when the ICC next meets, he needs friends badly.

The only way the tour will not go ahead is for the ICC to step in and, using its own security advisors, rule that the situation inside Pakistan is too unstable. That would be a blow to both boards even though from what we know so far it may well be the common sense solution.

Since when, though, has common sense been a factor?