Zimbabwean cricket team in Pakistan in 2015 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Pakistan | Zimbabwe | ||
Dates | 19 May 2015 – 31 May 2015 | ||
Captains |
Shahid Afridi (T20Is) Azhar Ali (ODIs) |
Elton Chigumbura (T20Is and 1st ODI) Hamilton Masakadza (2nd & 3rd ODIs) |
|
One Day International series | |||
Results | Pakistan won the 3-match series 2–0 | ||
Most runs | Azhar Ali (227) | Chamu Chibhabha (138) | |
Most wickets | Wahab Riaz (5) | Sikandar Raza & Graeme Cremer (3) | |
Player of the series | Azhar Ali (Pak) | ||
Twenty20 International series | |||
Results | Pakistan won the 2-match series 2–0 | ||
Most runs | Mukhtar Ahmed (145) | Hamilton Masakadza (82) | |
Most wickets | Mohammad Sami (4) | Sean Williams (3) | |
Player of the series | Mukhtar Ahmed (Pak) |
The Zimbabwe cricket team toured Pakistan from 19 to 31 May 2015. The tour consisted of three One Day International (ODI) and two Twenty20 International (T20I) matches, all played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It was the first tour by a Test-playing nation since the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009. Pakistan won the T20I series 2–0 and won the ODI series 2–0 after the third match finished as a no result. It was Pakistan's first ODI series win in two years. Pakistan ODI captain Azhar Ali said "it's been an exciting and emotional series for many reasons. It became important for us, as many of us never played in Pakistan, and winning makes it more significant because it gives you confidence".
Before the tour, several Zimbabwean cricketers expressed their concerns about travelling to Pakistan, but were committed to the trip. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq had described the tour as "a big joy for all of Pakistan cricket fans, players and for the PCB officials". Tony Irish, the executive chairman of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), said that "we are very concerned about the safety of players and any match officials who may be sent to Pakistan, should this tour go ahead". The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that it was awaiting the outcome of a security report before deciding if it were to send officials, with the possibility that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would use its own officials if the ICC was unable to supply them.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) were in talks with its own government regarding concerns over security. ZC caused confusion after issuing a press release on 14 May stating the tour had been suspended, but they retracted it just 15 minutes later. On 17 May ZC confirmed that the tour would go ahead. The ICC did not appoint any of its match officials, but made provision for the PCB to use their own umpires. The Zimbabwe team received state guest importance, including more than 4,000 police officers for their security when they arrived in Pakistan at Allama Iqbal International Airport on 19 May to start the tour.