Pakistan have set a 282-run target for Zimbabwe in their series-opening one-day international being played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
After winning the toss, the Green Shirts ended their innings with 281 runs at the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 50 overs.
Abid Ali was the first to be sent back to the pavilion in the middle of the tenth over after scoring 21 runs. He was followed by Babar Azam and Imamul Haq who scored 19 and 58 runs, respectively. The next casualty was Mohammad Rizwan who fell in the 37th over after scoring a meagre 14 and was followed by Iftikhar Ahmed (12) in the 41st over.
With six fours and two sixes, Haris Sohail tried to stabilise the team scoring 71 off 82 balls but he fell to Sikandar Raza in the 42nd over.
Earlier, captain Babar Azam had won the toss and elected to bat.
Both teams are opening their World Cup Super League campaigns after the International Cricket Council introduced the competition to bring context to ODI cricket.
The top seven teams in the league will directly qualify for the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India. The league features 13 countries playing four three-match ODI series (home and away).
Babar, who leads Pakistan in Twenty20s, will be captaining for the first time in the ODI format. He was appointed ODI captain during the lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pakistan gave an ODI debut to fast bowler Haris Rauf, who received his cap from bowling coach Waqar Younis before the toss.
The home team has packed its playing XI with four fast bowlers, with allrounder Faheem Ashraf getting a nod ahead of uncapped leg-spinner Usman Qadir.
Zimbabwe, led by Chamu Chibhabha, left out experienced batsman Elton Chigumubura for the first match of the three-match series. Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani returned to ODI format after nearly two years.
The Zimbabwe series, which also features three Twenty20 Internationals at the same venue, is the beginning of a busy season for Pakistan who are also slated to host England and South Africa.
