Fakhar hits ton as Pak beat Zimbabwe in second ODI
Fakhar Zaman scored an unbeaten century as Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the second one-day international on Monday. Zimbabwe opted to bat first and were bowled out by Pakistan for 194. Usman Khan wrecked Zimbabwe with four wickets while Hasan Ali took three. Zaman remained unbeaten on 117 as Pakistan reached home in 36 overs.
Brief scores Zimbabwe 194 all out (H Masakadza 59, Peter Moor 59; Usman Khan 4/36, Hasan Ali 3/32), Pakistan 195/1 (Imam-ulHaq 44, Fakhar Zaman 117 not out)
France did it the harder, less attractive way – slogging, grinding and digging out results. But with the World Cup in their bag, they have little to complain about.
“I know that I am going to be in the history of French football with my team. I don’t realise it yet, but our children will be very proud to have our own names,” star Antoine Griezmann told reporters after sealing the second World Cup triumph for his country.
If restraint was the watchword till the final whistle, completing a 4-2 win over Croatia that saw France emerge victorious for the second time in three World Cup finals, the gloves were off in a pleasant way as the players burst into celebrations.
“It’s the third time I get changed and I still smell just as bad,” France coach Didier Deschamps beamed, after his players stormed into his press conference at the Luzhniki Stadium and drenched him in drinks.
“Didier Deschamps, Didier Deschamps,” the players, some bare-chested, sang as the coach embraced Griezmann and cameras flashed. France had reached Promised Land again, 20 years after Deschamps had lifted the trophy at the Stade de France as captain of the hosts.
Paul Pogba stayed back a brief while after his teammates had left. “Sorry guys,” he smiled at reporters in the front row who had soaked by the celebratory beverage shower on Deschamps. The puppeteer in the France midfield though was unsuccessful trying to clean the coach’s desk before slipping out.
“Sorry, they’re young and they’re happy, they are swimming in happiness,” Deschamps laughed. “Maybe they are going to win other titles, and of course I don’t want to undermine any of the titles, but world champion – when you are a professional footballer – there is nothing above that.”
Deschamps picked the thrilling 4-3 Round of 16 win over Argentina as the trigger for the French triumph “because there was a levelling towards the top…
BULAWAYO: MOSCOW: It’s nice to see French people joyous, to see them with a smile, to see them with tears. That’s how we like to see our country and football has that power.