Pakistan seek whitewash amidst off-field concerns

Despite a foiled suicide attack outside the Gadaffi stadium during the second ODI, Zimbabwe have agreed to complete the Pakistan tour by playing the last of the three-match ODI series on Sunday. Security will be further beefed up even as Pakistan, who have clinched their first series win in two years, will look to seal a 3-0 clean-sweep.

Riding on Shoaib Malik's ton in the first ODI and skipper Azhar Ali's hundred in the second game, the hosts managed to win their first two matches despite the fact that the bowlers were not up to the mark. Haris Sohail and Mohammad Hafeez were also amongst the runs with the former registering back-to-back half-centuries. Pakistan will be hoping that the batsmen can extend their good run while they will also want the bowlers to pull up their socks and come up with a disciplined performance.

The Zimbabweans fought hard in both games through fine centuries from Elton Chigumbura and Sikandar Raza, but they could not out-bat Pakistan on tracks that have been ideal for the batsmen. Both Chamu Chibhabha and Hamilton Masakadza also found form, which augers well for the batting order. Meanwhile, the visitors will be hoping for Vusi Sibanda and Sean Williams, who have struggled in the ODIs, to get going. Like their Pakistan counterparts, the Zimbabwe bowlers have also not had an easy time in the first two games and will be hoping for some respite.

Date: 31 May 2015

Venue: Gadaffi stadium, Lahore

Start time: 16:00 local

Weather: Mostly cloudy with with a high of 40 degrees

Team News:

Pakistan:

The hosts were unchanged in the second match and they are likely to stick to the same team for the third game as well. However, they did re-jig their batting order for the second match by asking Sarfraz Ahmed to open and sending Asad Shafiq at number 4. It remains to be seen if Pakistan persist with this strategy or get Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail and Shoaib Malik back to their usual positions.

Probable XI: Azhar Ali (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Hammad Azam, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Yasir Shah

Zimbabwe:

The visitors will again be without the services of their regular skipper Chigumbura, who is serving a two-match ban for a slow over-rate offence in the first match. Masakadza, who captained in his absence, announced four changes for the previous match. Prosper Utseya (illness), Craig Ervine (injury) and Chris Mpofu were the ones who missed the second match along with Chigumbura, while Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Chamu Chibhabha and Tawanda Mupariwa featured in the eleven. Among them, Chibhabha will retain his place, having scored a fine 99, while it remains to be seen if Zimbabwe bring back Utseya and Ervine.

Probable XI: Chamu Chibhabha, Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza (c), Sean Williams, Richmond Mutumbami(wk), Sikandar Raza, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, Tawanda Mupariwa, Brian Vitori, Tinashe Panyangara

Quotes:

I wanted to mould myself according to how the game has changed. Hopefully, I can continue with this form even longer:

- Azhar Ali is eager to come up with another big knock.

We don't get to play that many games, so the guys have to rally and pull something out the hat

- Zimbabwe stand-in skipper Hamilton Masakadza hopes his team can finish off on a high.