Zimbabwe will have to be flawless in all three departments to dismantle Pakistan Tino Mawoyo

Zimbabwe will have to be flawless in all three departments to dismantle Pakistan Tino Mawoyo

Former Zimbabwe opener Tino Mawoyo says Zimbabwe would have to be flawless in all three departments to trouble the Pakistan side.

Zimbabwe will be expecting a stern test after Pakistan edged out South Africa recently in the white-ball series. 

“(Zimbabwe) will have to be almost flawless in all three departments,” Mawoyo told Reuters. “They cannot afford to lapse at all and allow Pakistan to take control.”

Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine are expected to return to the line-up which will bolster the batting department. “I think it’ll definitely bring the stability that we lacked, the experience, and I think it’ll just lift the spirit of the lads as well,” he said.

Zimbabwe were handed heavy losses against Afghanistan at Abu Dhabi last month, which adds a bit of an extra pressure on the hosts. Mawoyo said Pakistan will come hard at Zimbabwe early on, however, the visiting side might flatten out a bit if things don’t quite go their way.

“(Pakistan) will come hard at you, and they’ll come hard at you early... however, if they don’t get early wickets and stuff doesn’t quite go their way, they do tend to flatten out a little bit.”

Pakistan were handed an upset against Zimbabwe back in 2013 at Harare, when they were handed a 264-run target, but a batting collapse meant the visiting side fell short by 24 runs. “I know it’s a very long time ago, but the last time Zimbabwe took on Pakistan in a Test match in Harare, they won,” he added.

Pakistan will play three T20Is and two Tests. The T20I series start April 21.

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