Bulawayo: Fakhar Zaman became the first Pakistan player and sixth overall to hit a double century in One Day Internationals as Pakistan crushed Zimbabwe by 244 runs to go 4-0 up in their one-day series.
Zaman smashed 210 not out from 156 deliveries, moving past the previous record for a Pakistan batsman set by Saeed Anwar with his 194 more than 21 years ago.
The in-form Zaman hence joined an elite group of batsmen in Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma (all India), Chris Gayle (West Indies) and Martin Guptill (New Zealand).
Zaman said: “I think I am in the best form of my life.”
“I’ve been trying for many games to get another hundred and my coaches were telling me there have been too many games since you last scored a hundred. So I was trying, and today I was lucky.”
That wasn’t the only record to tumble. Pakistan’s openers blazed a world record 304-run stand, with Imam-ul-Haq hitting 113, the triple hundred partnership becoming Pakistan’s biggest for any wicket in ODIs.
It also broke the previous record for an opening stand in all internationals, that of 286 set by Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga for Sri Lanka against England at Headingley in 2006.
When the opening partnership was eventually snapped, Asif Ali arrived at the crease and immediately went on the attack, smashing 50 from 22 deliveries to help boost Pakistan to another record: their highest-ever total in ODIs.
Zimbabwe’s response never got going, and they were lucky to avoid a few other ignominious records when they were bowled out in the 43rd over for 155.
Zimbabwe’s margin of defeat was their second heaviest in ODIs, and they could avoid avoided it only through a 69-run sixth wicket stand between Elton Waggumbura and Donald Timpano.
But that was as good as it got for the hosts, with leg-spinner Shadab Khan taking four for 28 as Pakistan wrapped up the innings having barely broken a sweat.
After Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and batted, Zaman and ul-Haq quickly vindicated his decision, taking 59 from the opening Powerplay. Zaman was first to race to his 50 in the 18th over, from 51 deliveries, with a fierce drive through extra cover.
He was also first to get his hundred in the 32nd over. It was the third ODI century in his career and his second in this series. Ul-Haq followed six overs later, while the world record for an opening stand fell halfway through the 40th over.
Zimbabwe eventually struck when Ul Haq top-edged a slog sweep off Wellington Masakadza’s left-arm spin to be caught in the deep, but Ali ensured that the runs kept flowing. While Zaman raced to his double century in the 47th over, Ali smashed five fours and three sixes to reach a maiden international fifty from just 22 deliveries.
