Zimbabwean cricket team in Pakistan in 2015

International cricket tour

Not to be confused with Pakistani cricket team in Zimbabwe in 2015–16.

Zimbabwean cricket team in Pakistan in 2015

|  |
|  Pakistan|  Zimbabwe
Dates|  19 May 2015 – 31 May 2015
Captains|  Shahid Afridi (T20Is)
Azhar Ali (ODIs)|  Elton Chigumbura (T20Is and 1st ODI)
Hamilton Masakadza (2nd & 3rd ODIs)
One Day International series
Results|  Pakistan won the 3-match series 2–0
Most runs|  Azhar Ali (227)|  Chamu Chibhabha (138)
Most wickets|  Wahab Riaz (5)|  Sikandar Raza & Graeme Cremer (3)
Player of the series|  Azhar Ali (Pak)
Twenty20 International series
Results|  Pakistan won the 2-match series 2–0
Most runs|  Mukhtar Ahmed (145)|  Hamilton Masakadza (82)
Most wickets|  Mohammad Sami (4)|  Sean Williams (3)
Player of the series|  Mukhtar Ahmed (Pak)

The Zimbabwe cricket team toured Pakistan from 19 to 31 May 2015.[1] The tour consisted of three One Day International (ODI) and two Twenty20 International (T20I) matches, all played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It was the first tour of Pakistan by a Test-playing nation since the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009.[1] Pakistan won the T20I series 2–0 and won the ODI series 2–0 after the third match finished as a no result.[2] It was Pakistan's first ODI series win in two years.[3] Pakistan ODI captain Azhar Ali said "it's been an exciting and emotional series for many reasons. It became important for us, as many of us never played in Pakistan, and winning makes it more significant because it gives you confidence".[4]

## Summary

[edit]

Before the tour, several Zimbabwean cricketers expressed their concerns about travelling to Pakistan, but were committed to the trip.[5] Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq had described the tour as "a big joy for all of Pakistan cricket fans, players and for the PCB officials".[6] Tony Irish, the executive chairman of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), said that "we are very concerned about the safety of players and any match officials who may be sent to Pakistan, should this tour go ahead".[7] The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that it was awaiting the outcome of a security report before deciding if it were to send officials, with the possibility that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would use its own officials if the ICC was unable to supply them.[8]

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) were in talks with its own government regarding concerns over security.[9] ZC caused confusion after issuing a press release on 14 May stating the tour had been suspended, but they retracted it just 15 minutes later.[10] On 17 May ZC confirmed that the tour would go ahead.[11] The ICC did not appoint any of its match officials, but made provision for the PCB to use their own umpires.[11] The Zimbabwe team received state guest importance, including more than 4,000 police officers for their security when they arrived in Pakistan at Allama Iqbal International Airport on 19 May to start the tour.[12][13]

Only five players in the Pakistan T20 squad had played a home international match before this tour.[14] Batsman Umar Akmal said that "it will be an amazing feeling, it would mean so much to me. Cricketers around the world take playing at home in front of their own crowds for granted".[15] Tickets for both of the T20 matches sold out within two days,[16] with 60,000 people attending the first game.[17]

In the ODI series, Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura was suspended for the last two matches, due to a bowling a slow over-rate in the first match.[18] Hamilton Masakadza became the Zimbabwean captain for the final two matches in Chigumbura's absence.[19]

During the second ODI match, there was a loud explosion outside the stadium that was thought to have been caused by an electricity transformer.[20] It was later revealed to be a suicide attack that killed a civilian and a Punjab Police officer, while he was trying to stop the suicide bomber.[21] The initial report of the transformer explosion was used to avoid a panic. Despite the attack, the third and final match of the series went ahead as scheduled.[22]

After the matches had concluded, it was revealed that the PCB had paid the players in the Zimbabwe squad US$12,500 each for the tour.[23] This was paid in two amounts, the first when Zimbabwe arrived in Pakistan, and the second after the tour dates had been fulfilled.[23]

## Squads

[edit]

ODIs  | T20Is

|

Pakistan[24] |  Zimbabwe[25] |  Pakistan[26] |  Zimbabwe[25]

* Azhar Ali (c)
* Mohammad Hafeez
* Ahmed Shehzad
* Asad Shafiq
* Haris Sohail
* Shoaib Malik
* Babar Azam
* Mohammad Rizwan
* Sarfaraz Ahmed
* Anwar Ali
* Hammad Azam
* Imad Wasim
* Yasir Shah
* Wahab Riaz
* Mohammad Sami
* Junaid Khan

* Elton Chigumbura (c)
* Sikandar Raza
* Chamu Chibhabha
* Charles Coventry
* Graeme Cremer
* Craig Ervine
* Roy Kaia
* Hamilton Masakadza
* Christopher Mpofu
* Tawanda Mupariwa
* Richmond Mutumbami
* Tinashe Panyangara
* Vusi Sibanda
* Prosper Utseya
* Brian Vitori
* Sean Williams

* Shahid Afridi (c)
* Sarfaraz Ahmed
* Ahmed Shehzad
* Mohammad Hafeez
* Mukhtar Ahmed
* Nauman Anwar
* Shoaib Malik
* Umar Akmal
* Mohammad Rizwan
* Anwar Ali
* Hammad Azam
* Imad Wasim
* Bilawal Bhatti
* Wahab Riaz
* Mohammad Sami

* Elton Chigumbura (c)
* Sikandar Raza
* Chamu Chibhabha
* Charles Coventry
* Graeme Cremer
* Craig Ervine
* Roy Kaia
* Hamilton Masakadza
* Christopher Mpofu
* Tawanda Mupariwa
* Richmond Mutumbami
* Tinashe Panyangara
* Vusi Sibanda
* Prosper Utseya
* Brian Vitori
* Sean Williams

## T20I series

[edit]

### 1st T20I

[edit]

22 May 2015
19:00 (D/N)
Scorecard

Zimbabwe
172/6 (20 overs)

Pakistan
173/5 (19.3 overs)

|
|

Elton Chigumbura 54 (35)
Mohammed Sami 3/36 (4 overs)

|  |

Mukhtar Ahmed 83 (45)
Graeme Cremer 2/28 (4 overs)

Pakistan won by 5 wickets
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Umpires: Ahsan Raza (Pak) and Shozab Raza (Pak)
Player of the match: Mukhtar Ahmed (Pak)

* Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
* Richmond Mutumbami (Zim) made his T20I debut.

### 2nd T20I

[edit]

24 May 2015
19:00 (D/N)
Scorecard

Zimbabwe
175/3 (20 overs)

Pakistan
176/8 (19.4 overs)

|
|

Sean Williams 58* (32)
Shoaib Malik 1/23 (4 overs)

|  |

Mukhtar Ahmed 62 (40)
Christopher Mpofu 2/25 (4 overs)

Pakistan won by 2 wickets
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Umpires: Ahsan Raza (Pak) and Ahmed Shahab (Pak)
Player of the match: Mukhtar Ahmed (Pak)

* Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
* Imad Wasim and Nauman Anwar (both Pak) made their T20I debuts.

## ODI series

[edit]

### 1st ODI

[edit]

26 May 2015
16:00 (D/N)
Scorecard

Pakistan
375/3 (50 overs)

Zimbabwe
334/5 (50 overs)

|
|

Shoaib Malik 112 (76)
Prosper Utseya 2/63 (10 overs)

|  |

Elton Chigumbura 117 (95)
Wahab Riaz 3/47 (10 overs)

Pakistan won by 41 runs
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Russell Tiffin (Zim)
Player of the match: Shoaib Malik (Pak)

* Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.
* Elton Chigumbura (Zim) scored his maiden ODI century.[27]

### 2nd ODI

[edit]

29 May 2015
16:00 (D/N)
Scorecard

Zimbabwe
268/7 (50 overs)

Pakistan
269/4 (47.2 overs)

|
|

Sikandar Raza 100* (84)
Yasir Shah 2/40 (10 overs)

|  |

Azhar Ali 102 (104)
Graeme Cremer 2/52 (10 overs)

Pakistan won by 6 wickets
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Umpires: Shozab Raza (Pak) and Russell Tiffin (Zim)
Player of the match: Azhar Ali (Pak)

* Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.

### 3rd ODI

[edit]

31 May 2015
16:00 (D/N)
Scorecard

Pakistan
296/9 (50 overs)

Zimbabwe
68/0 (9 overs)

|
|

Mohammad Hafeez 80 (80)
Sikandar Raza 3/59 (10 overs)

|  |

Chamu Chibhabha 39* (27)

No result
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Umpires: Ahsan Raza (Pak) and Russell Tiffin (Zim)

* Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.
* After the 8th over of the Zimbabwean innings there was a floodlight failure, followed by a dust storm. Four overs of play were lost before the innings were restarted. One over later, rain stopped play and the match was abandoned as a no result.[2]
* Babar Azam (Pak) and Roy Kaia (Zim) made their ODI debuts.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Zimbabwe Cricket confirms Pakistan tour". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
2. ^ a b "Pakistan take series 2-0 after washout". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
3. ^ "Azhar ton seals first series win in two years". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
4. ^ "Exciting and emotional series for us - Azhar Ali". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
5. ^ "Zimbabwe players express concerns over Pakistan tour". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
6. ^ "Zimbabwe tour 'a big joy' - Misbah". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
7. ^ "FICA warns against touring Pakistan". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
8. ^ "ICC assessing Pakistan security". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
9. ^ "Confusion surrounds Zimbabwe's tour of Pakistan". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
10. ^ "Pakistan v Zimbabwe: Series in doubt over safety concerns". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
11. ^ a b "Zimbabwe finally confirm Pakistan tour". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
12. ^ "Zimbabwe team arrives in Lahore". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
13. ^ "State guest security for Zimbabwe team". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
14. ^ "In pictures: Pakistan readies for return of international cricket". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
15. ^ "'Amazing feeling to play at home' - Umar Akmal". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
16. ^ "Pakistan v Zimbabwe: Security high for international cricket return". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
17. ^ "The roar of the crowd". The Express Tribune. 23 May 2015. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
18. ^ "Chigumbura suspended for two ODIs". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
19. ^ "Zimbabwe face stiffer test without Chigumbura". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
20. ^ "Transformer blast near Gaddafi stadium, say police". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
21. ^ "Suicide blast near Qaddafi Stadium kills sub-inspector". Dawn News. 30 May 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
22. ^ "Zimbabwe to go ahead with tour after suicide attack". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
23. ^ a b "Zimbabwe players given financial guarantee by PCB for tour". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
24. ^ "Malik, Sami return to Pakistan ODI squad". ESPNcricinfo. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
25. ^ a b "Uncapped Roy Kaia in Zimbabwe squad". ESPNcricinfo. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
26. ^ "Sami, Malik in Pakistan's revamped T20 squad". ESPNcricinfo. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
27. ^ "Malik ton, Riaz aggression give Pakistan big win". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 26 May 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Series home at ESPN Cricinfo

* v
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* e

International cricket tours of Pakistan

Test and LOI tours

Australia|

| In Pakistan|

* 1956–57
* 1959–60
* 1964–65
* 1979–80
* 1982–83
* 1988–89
* 1994–95
* 1998–99
* 2021–22
* 2025–26

|

In Neutral Venue|

* 2002–03
* 2009#
* 2010
* 2012#
* 2014–15
* 2018–19 (Sep18)
* 2018–19 (Mar19)#

Bangladesh|

* 2003
* 2008#
* 2019–20
* 2024
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England|

| In Pakistan|

* 1961–62
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* 1977–78
* 1983–84
* 1987–88
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* 2021–22 (cancelled)#
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|

In Neutral Venue|

* 2009–10#
* 2011–12
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India|

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* 1997–98#
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New Zealand|

| In Pakistan|

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* 2021–22 (cancelled)
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* 2024#

|

In Neutral Venue|

* 2009–10#
* 2014–15
* 2018–19

South Africa|

| In Pakistan|

* 1997–98
* 2003–04
* 2007–08
* 2020–21

|

In Neutral Venue|

* 2010–11
* 2013–14

Sri Lanka|

| In Pakistan|

* 1981–82
* 1985–86
* 1991–92
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* 1999–2000
* 2004–05
* 2008–09#
* 2019–20

|

In Neutral Venue|

* 2011–12
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West Indies|

| In Pakistan|

* 1948–49
* 1958–59
* 1974–75
* 1980–81
* 1985–86#
* 1986–87
* 1990–91
* 1991–92#
* 1997–98
* 2006–07
* 2017–18#
* 2021–22
* 2022#
* 2024–25

|

In Neutral Venue|

* 2001–02
* 2008–09#
* 2016–17

Zimbabwe|

* 1993–94
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* 2007–08#
* 2015#
* 2020–21#

Tournaments hosted

Multiple teams|

* 1987
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Other tours

Afghan|

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Multi-national|

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* 1970–71
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* 1976–77
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* 2017

Tours in italics have been played in the United Arab Emirates or other neutral venues, since 2009
# indicates a tour without a test match

* v
* t
* e

International cricket in 2015

Preceding season: International cricket in 2014–15

May 2015|

* Americas Twenty20 Division One
* England in Ireland
* New Zealand in England
* Europe Division One
* Zimbabwe in Pakistan

June 2015|

* Australia in West Indies
* India in Bangladesh
* Pakistan in Sri Lanka
* Scotland in Ireland
* Nepal in Netherlands
* New Zealand women in India

July 2015|

* South Africa in Bangladesh
* Australia in England (The Ashes)
* Australia women in England (The Women's Ashes)
* Americas Under-19 Championship
* World Twenty20 Qualifier
* Pacific Games
* Europe Under-19 Championship
* India in Zimbabwe

August 2015|

* New Zealand in Zimbabwe
* India in Sri Lanka
* New Zealand in South Africa
* Australia women in Ireland
* Australia in Ireland

September 2015|

* World Cricket League Division Six
* Pakistan in Zimbabwe
* Bangladesh women in Pakistan

Ongoing|

* Intercontinental Cup
* World Cricket League Championship
* Women's Championship

Following season: International cricket in 2015–18
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