Zimbabwe win toss, elect to bat against Pakistan

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PALLEKELE: Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura has won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan in their crucial World Cup Group A match here at the Pallekele International Stadium on Monday.

Pakistan were forced to make two changes from the side that lost to New Zealand by 110 runs on Tuesday, bringing in Asad Shafiq for injured Umar Akmal and paceman Wahab Riaz for Shoaib Aktar who was rested.

Umar hurt his finger on Thursday and then sprained his ankle on Sunday.

His under-fire brother Kamran, who had a disastrous performance against New Zealand, kept his place in the team.

Zimbabwe replaced pacemen Christopher Mpofu and Tanishe Panyangara with seamer Shingirai Masakadza and opener Vusimuzi Sibanda in two changes from the team that lost to Sri Lanka by 139 runs on Thursday.

Mpofu, who took four wickets in the last match, has suffered side strain.

Pakistan, with six points from four matches, will qualify for the quarter-finals with victory.

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Ahmed Shahzad.

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Regis Chakabva, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Greg Lamb, Shingirai Masakadza, Raymond Price, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Vusimuzi Sibanda.

Umpires: Nigel Llong (ENG) and Tony Hill (NZ), TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (SA)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)