Shoaib Malik scored 88 and took three wickets to help Pakistan to a 4-0 lead in the five-match series against Zimbabwe, and Mohammed Yousuf notched his 14th one-day hundred.

After Zimbabwe posted a competitive 244 all out, Malik and Yousuf combined in a third wicket partnership of 141, which took Pakistan to the cusp of victory. In the absence of Younis Khan, Malik promoted himself to number three and scored his runs off 99 deliveries with ten boundaries. Yousuf, 108 not out from 111 balls, steered his team home with overs to spare in Faisalabad. 

Zimbabwe took advantage of Pakistan’s rookie team, which included two debutants Khalid Latif and Sohail Khan, by scoring their fourth consecutive total in excess of 200, which is not something they have found all that easy in recent years since their internal polical squabbles that resulted in the mass exodus of key players. Tatenda Taibu top scored with 51 and Sean Williams stroked 48.

Off-spinner Malik, who has rarely utilised his own bowling since becoming captain in May last year, has now bowled one delivery short of his full 40-over allocation in the series so far and his nine wickets at an average of just 19.77 will be one of the positives Pakistan take from this series.

The fifth and final match is in Sheikhupura on Saturday, when Pakistan will seek to finish off a clean sweep in readiness for the visit of world champions Australia in March, subject to security clearances.