Rawalpindi: After stumbling to a 26-run loss against Pakistan in the first ODI of the three-match series, Zimbabwe’s wicket-keeper batsman Brendan Taylor said that the death bowling skills of the opponent team took the game away from them.
Zimbabwe failed to chase down the target of 282 after being bowled out for 255. Taylor played a knock of 112 runs, while for Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi returned with the figures of 5-49.
Taylor was adjudged Man of the Match, but the Zimbabwe batsman said Shaheen Shah Afridi should have been given the award for his five-wicket haul.
“I feel very lucky to get this award as I feel Shaheen should have got it. You are up against a very skillful attack at the death and they were too good at the end. It was that skill level at the death that took it away from us,” Taylor said.
Zimbabwe needed 88 runs off the final 10 overs to win the match with six wickets in hand. At that time, Shaheen came into the attack and he changed the game for Pakistan. Shaheen was fully supported by Wahab Riaz at the other end, and the left-arm seamer also took four wickets. Pakistan and Zimbabwe will now lock horns in the second ODI of the three-match series on Sunday.
