The visitors are in a fine nick. They not only won the practice match at Karachi on Wednesday with commensurate ease, but also gave commendable performance against world champions, Sri Lanka and the rejuvenated Indian side in Sharjah earlier this month.
Zimbabwe manager Dave Houghton sounded optimistic about the chances of his team in the first match and later on in the series.
``Regretfully, we could not win at Sharjah despite putting up a splendid show there. But we want to go back home after winning here. I know that the Pakistan is quite an experienced and strong. Still, I am more than confident that Zimbabwe can beat them on its soil.''
Houghton admitted that he had not seen the Jinnah Stadium pitch. Yet he thought there was no use of delaying the finalisation of the team for the one-day international.
Fielding of the Zimbabwe side has been traditionally good and can swing the game in its favour through superb catching. It has a balanced pace and spin attack which had created problems for Sri Lanka and India.
If fast sale of tickets in Gujranwala is any indication, a large crowd of sports lovers of the city along with visitors from other parts of the country and abroad, will enjoy a good feast of stroke-play.
Both the teams have some swashbuckling cricketers and fine entertainers, who will enlighten the proceedings with their ``fire works''.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent a Whale Super-Sopper from Lahore on Thursday evening to ensure that mopping up of dew is completed well in time and the match gets underway on time.
Both the Pakistan and Zimbabwe teams did net practice at the Qadhafi Stadium on Thursday from 10 am to 1 pm.
Although Pakistan put up a dismal show in the home Tests and one-day international series against Australia, yet it is capable of rising to great heights if the players fight like a combined out fit. Return of the excellent opener Saeed Anwar and middle-order batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq after regaining fitness should restore balance of the Pakistan team, whose top-order batting had been failing miserably against Australia. The Pakistan batting will also be served well by Ijaz Ahmad, Yousuf Yohanna, Azhar Mahmood, Moin Khan, Shahid Afridi, Aamir Sohail and Wasim Akram.
Pakistan's pace attack, spearheaded by Wasim Akram and also includes young Shoaib Akhtar and Azhar Mahmood. The trio can restrict any batting line-up to a low score if it adheres tothe cardinal virtues of bowling at a good length andlength.
Spinners Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Afridi and Aamir Sohail, if find their rhythm and bowl intelligently, can also stop the Zimbabwe side from putting up a big total.
However, the Pakistanis will have to brace their fielding if they are serious to beat Zimbabwe. Dropping of catches by the Pakistani fielders can prove suicidal.
Akram Malik adds from Gujranwala:
A local holiday on Friday was declared in Gujranwala to afford an opportunity to the cricket lovers to watch the one-day international. More than 700 policemen and officials have been deployed in and around the Jinnah Stadium here for security arrangements.
Services of private security guards have also been acquired, who will look after the players of the two teams inside thestadium.
The stadium has been tastefully decorated and all necessary arrangements finalised.
Teams:
Pakistan: Aamir Sohail (captain), Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, YousafYohanna, Shahid Afridi, Azhar Mahmood, Moin Khan, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar. 12thman: Hasan Raza.
Zimbabwe: Alistair Campbell (captain),Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Eddo Brandes, Mark Goodwin, Paul Strang, CraigWishart, Andy Whittal, Neil Johnson, Heath Streak, Craig Evans. 12thman: Henry Olonga.
Umpires: Mian Muhammad Aslam and Nazir Junior
TV umpire: Iftikhar Malik
Match referee: Cammie Smith (West Indies)
The 50-over-a-side match starts at 9:00 a.m.