Twitter Reactions: Zimbabwe stun Pakistan as hosts win ODI opener by 80 runs via DLS Method

Teams Zimbabwe (ZIM) and Pakistan (PAK) squared off against each other in the first ODI of the series, played at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, on Sunday, November 24. Notably, after having a disastrous 50-over campaign in Australia, the Green Shirts were eager to change their fortunes in the limited-over outing ahead against the African minnows.

In what turned out to be a rain-curtailed ODI match, visiting skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and invited the Chevrons to bat first. The decision initially seemed to be justified as half the Zimbabwe side was back in the hut for just 99 runs in the 20th over. However, the most experienced campaigner and skipper of the hosts, Sikandar Raza (39 runs) got down to the rescue act with Richard Ngarava (48 runs) and stitched a match-defining partnership of 62 runs for the eighth wicket.

As a result, Zimbabwe managed to put a competitive total of 205 runs on the board before getting bowled out in 40.2 overs. In reply, Pakistan had a forgetful start as they two wickets in quick succession. Thereafter, the side could not recover from the early jolts after the 12th over, as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. The trio of Muzarbani Blessing, Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza picked two wickets apiece leaving the Green Shirts reeling at 60/6 in 21 overs.

Following that, thunderous rains intervened and kept playing possums until the officials decided to call off after delays of hours, leading to the application of the Duckworth Louis-Stern (DLS) method. Consequently, Pakistan were found way behind the hosts and this meant that Zimbabwe won the first ODI match by 80 runs in a quite dominating manner. For an all round performance all through the match, Sikandar Raza was duly adjudged as the Player of the Match. Besides, both teams will now clash again in the second ODI on November 26, at the same venue.

Meanwhile, here's how the fans reacted to the first ZIM vs PAK ODI match: