Zimbabwe v Pakistan, 2015-16

	Pakistan out played Zimbabwe in both the ODIs and T20s © AFP Enlarge
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Twenty20 internationals (2): Zimbabwe 0, Pakistan 2 One-day internationals (3): Zimbabwe 1, Pakistan 2
Cynicism and under-the-table deals in scheduling are nothing new in cricket, but this tour hit a laughable new low. Pakistan's board were committed to repaying Zimbabwe for becoming, earlier in 2015, the first Test-playing nation to venture into their country for six years. Despite that, they postponed the return trip for a fortnight, in order to ensure their participation in the Champions Trophy in England in 2017.

The top eight nations in the ICC's one-day table at the cut-off date of September 30 were due to qualify. But that deadline coincided with the original dates for this trip, and Pakistan - placed eighth, behind Bangladesh and only one point ahead of West Indies - would have missed out if they had lost the one-day series to Zimbabwe. So they simply turned up later. It meant five matches were rattled off in nine days, allowing Pakistan to get to the UAE in time for England's visit.

Zimbabwe ordered dry, lifeless pitches for the first three games, presumably to nullify Pakistan's fast bowlers and encourage their own spinners. But the cricket was appallingly dull, and Pakistan's slow men were too potent anyway. One of them, 30-year-old Bilal Asif from Sialkot, had an interesting time. Drafted in because Mohammad Hafeez had been banned from bowling, Bilal made his debut as an off-spinning opening batsman, and claimed five for 25 in his second match - only for his action to be reported too. He was sent off for tests, and was eventually cleared.

Pakistan won both Twenty20 games, which followed almost identical patterns, and might have swept the 50-over series but for the decision to halt the second match, with just two overs left, because of bad light. Pakistan were behind on Duckworth/Lewis, but needed 21 more, with Shoaib Malik and Yasir Shah well set. Zimbabwe's fortuitous victory did at least keep the series alive until the final match, when they collapsed again.

After a decade in which their side had been selected along predictable lines, Zimbabwe began looking to the future. Vusi Sibanda did not appear at all, and the remodelled Prosper Utseya only in the Twenty20s, while Hamilton Masakadza was jettisoned for the final one-dayer. Opener Brian Chari and seamer Luke Jongwe, meanwhile, made promising starts.

Match reports for

1st T20I: Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Sep 27, 2015
Report | Scorecard

2nd T20I: Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Sep 29, 2015
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1st ODI: Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Oct 1, 2015
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2nd ODI: Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Oct 3, 2015
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3rd ODI: Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Oct 5, 2015
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