Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, 2018: 4th ODI, Bulawayo - Statistical Highlights

Continuing their domination over Zimbabwe in the ongoing five-match One-day International (ODI) series, Pakistan piled more misery on the hosts in the fourth ODI on Friday (July 20) at Bulawayo.

Batting first, the Men in Green blew away the hosts, smashing a record 399 for one in 50 allotted overs.

Explosive opening batsman Fakhar Zaman top-scored for the visitors, scoring an unbeaten 210 off just 156 balls. The special innings was studded with 24 fours and five sixes.

Moreover, it was not the typical of starts for Zaman as he took his time early on. The southpaw reached his fifty after facing 51 balls. But as the game progressed, he did not take long to shift the gears. He reached his hundred off just 92 balls and there was no looking back from thereon. He went on to complete his double century off just 146 balls.

On the other hand, Imam-ul-Haq also played his part by scoring a calm and composed 113. He was dismissed in the 42nd over after adding the 304-run partnership for the first wicket. Towards the end, Asif Ali slammed 50 off just 22 balls – to help Pakistan finish strongly.

Here are the statistical highlights from the innings:

1. The 304-run stand between Zaman and Imam is the highest-ever partnership for the first wicket in ODIs.

Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga previously held the record. The duo had amassed 286 against England in 2006.

2. This is also the highest partnership for Pakistan in ODI’s for any wicket. Aamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq’s 263-run stand against New Zealand in 1994 was the previous best.

3. The series witnessed the first instance of Pakistani openers scoring four centuries in a bilateral ODI series. Zaman and Imam have scored two centuries each so far.

4. Zaman’s score of unbeaten 210 is the sixth highest in ODI history, behind Rohit Sharma (264), Martin Guptill (237*), Virender Sehwag (219), Chris Gayle (215) and Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 200.

5. It took Zaman just 17 innings to score his first ODI double hundred. It is an incredible achievement considering that the second player in the list – Rohit Sharma – took 103 innings to reach the milestone.

6. Zaman so far collected 980 runs in 17 innings. He needs 20 more in three innings to become the fastest to 1000 runs in ODI history.

7. Zaman broke the record of the highest individual score by a Pakistani batsman in ODIs by surpassing Saeed Anwar’s score of 194. In the process, he also became the first Pakistan batsman to score a double-century in ODIs.

8. 399 for one is now Pakistan’s highest total in ODIs. Their previous best was 385 for seven they had scored against Bangladesh in 2010.

9. 399 for one is the highest ODI total by any team for the loss of only one wicket. India previously held the record for scoring 362 for one against Australia in 2013.