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SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, April 10 (; New-look Pakistan were on course to win the limited-overs Sharjah Cup after they shot out Zimbabwe for 168 in the final here on Thursday.

The 2,000th one-day international in cricket's history saw a procession of Zimbabwe batsmen go in and out after Heath Streak won the toss and opted to take first strike.

Young wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu was the lone batsman to defy the Pakistani bowlers, making an unbeaten 74 as seven others failed to reach double figures.

Zimbabwe were struggling at 133-9 before last man Douglas Hondo (nine) helped Taibu add 35 valuable runs.

Seamer Mohamad Sami and off-spinner Shoaib Malik finished with three wickets apiece. Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Hafeez picked up two each.

Pakistan sacked eight senior stars, including Wasim Akram and captain Waqar Younis, following the first round exit at last month's World Cup, and picked a young squad under the guidance of seasoned Rashid Latif and coach Javed Miandad.

A full house of 20,000 at the Sharjah cricket stadium saw Pakistan dominate the first-half of the final after breezing through their three league matches against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Zimbabwe never recovered after the three-wicket burst from Sami reduced them to 36-4 by the 13th over.

Sami, who claimed a career-best 4-22 against Kenya on Tuesday, struck with the third delivery of the match when he had Craig Wishart caught behind by Pakistani captain Rashid Latif.

Latif then caught Gavin Rennie off Sami, who later clean bowled Douglas Marillier for 14 in the ninth over.

As Sami ended a fruitful six-over spell of 3-20, Malik gained the valuable wicket of Grant Flower who was caught at square-leg by Younis Khan for seven.

Taibu and Sean Ervine dug in to retreive the situation, but their 46-run stand for the fifth wicket was rudely cut short by Indian umpire Avi Jayaprakash, who ruled Ervine caught down the leg-side by Latif as the batsman attempted to sweep.

Television replays showed the ball clearly miss the edge of the bat. Ervine made 25.

Zimbabwe moved to 122-5 when three wickets crashed in the space of five runs as Kaneria dismissed Dion Ebrahim and Hafeez got rid of Streak and Andy Blignaut in consecutive overs.

      Zimbabwe:
      C. Wishart c Latif b Sami                 0
      D. Marillier b Sami                      14
      G. Rennie c Latif b Sami                  6
      G. Flower c Younis b Malik                7
      T. Taibu not out                         74
      S. Ervine c Latif b Malik                25
      D. Ebrahim c Malik b Kaneria             13
      H. Streak lbw b Hafeez                    0
      A. Blignaut c and b Hafeez                3
      R. Price lbw b Kaneria                    1
      D. Hondo c Youhana b Malik                9

      Extras: (lb4, w8, nb4)                   16
   
      Total                                   168

      Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-19, 3-22, 4-36,
                       5-82, 6-122, 7-123, 8-127, 9-133

Bowling: Sami 10-0-44-3, 
	Gul 8-0-24-0, 
	Malik 9.1.-1-29-3, 
	Razzaq 6-0-21-0, 
	Kaneria 10-1-32-2, 
	Hafeez 6-0-14-2

Overs: 49.1

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