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Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik seems to have learnt a lesson from last year's World Twenty20, and claim he and his side will not be underestimating either Canada or Zimbabwe going into next month's Canada Cup competition.

"I don't think they are weak teams. Any team can deliver on any given day in this version of the game. We saw that happen in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa last year."

That would be a reference to Zimbabwe's defeat of Australia, no doubt. Of course, there are serious doubts as to whether Zim's match-winner for that game, Brendan Taylor, will be available for this tourney.
Cricket365 - Malik Wary Of Zimbabwe And Canada

The schedule has been released for the Canada Cup Four Nations Twenty20 competition, and the sides will face off as follows:

10 October 2008         Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe
10 October 2008         Canada v Pakistan
11 October 2008         Canada v Zimbabwe
11 October 2008         Sri Lanka v Pakistan
12 October 2008         Pakistan v Zimbabwe
12 October 2008         Canada v Sri Lanka
13 October 2008         Final

Zimbabwe have been confirmed as taking part in the Canada Cup Four Nations Twenty20 tournament, to be held in Toronto in October, after West Indies pulled out of the contest. Canada, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are the other participants. The tourney will be held at the Maple Leaf ground in Toronto between 10-13 October - no detailed fixture list is available yet, but I'll post it once I have it.
CricInfo - West Indies pull out of Canada quadrangular

PCA's win in the 3rd one-day match against Zimbabwe Board XI handed them a 3-0 series sweep at Harare Sports Club yesterday. PCA opted to bat after winning the toss, posting 260/7 in their 50 overs. Fawad Alam anchored the innings with an unbeaten 100 runs, while Asad Shafiq chipped in with 49 runs before he was run out, and Umer Ameen added 35 before he fell to Prince Masvaure who had him caught by Regis Chakabva. Shingirai Masakadza, returning from injury, picked up 3/42 from his 10 overs and was the pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers.

As before, though, Board XI's batting simply wasn't up to scratch. Friday Kasteni top-scored with 45, with Regis Chakabva adding 37 and Timycen Maruma 31, but other than that there wasn't much resistance from the home side, who were bowled out for 197 in the 47th over.

Full scorecard below the cut.
Pakistan Cricket Academy 260/7 (50 overs; Alam 100*, S Masakadza 3/42), Zimbabwe Board XI 197 (46.2 overs; Kasteni 45, Majeed 3/41. PCA win by 63 runs.

While the match was closer than the first one-dayer, the result was the same, as Pakistan Cricket Academy scored another win to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Batting first, Pakistan were reduced 45/3 by Board XI's opening bowler Taurai Muzarabani. Fawad Alam top scored with 68 to lead PCA to a decent score as part of a 5th-wicket stand with Ali Asad, who carried on where Alam left off, scoring freely to take his side past the 200 mark.

Zimbabwe lost Friday Kasteni early to Junaid Khan, but they moved along quickly to 63 thanks to some agressive play from Cephas Zhuwawo. The dismissal of Chamu Chibhabha sparked a collapse, though, as the side fell to 103/6. Timycen Maruma wagged the home side's tail a little with his 50, the top score of the innings, but by then the damage had been done & Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out for 189.

Full scorecard below the cut.
Pakistan Cricket Academy 213 (49.3/50 overs; Fawad Alam 68, Muzarabani 4/38), Zimbabwe Board XI 189 (44.1/50 overs; Maruma 50, Mohammad Talha 5/43). PCA win by 24 runs.

Pakistan Cricket Academy continued in their winning ways yesterday, sealing a comprehensive 113-run win over Zimbabwe Board XI.

Board XI won the toss and sent the Academy side in to bat. They made 237 runs for eight wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Fahad Iqbal top-scored with 61 runs from 86 balls, five of them fours, before he was caught by Friday Kasteni off the bowling of captain Graeme Cremer. Anwar Ali chipped in with an unbeaten 54. Cremer finished with figures of 3/46 from his 10 overs, while Trevor Garwe took 3/50. Admire Manyumwa and Timycen Maruma picked up one wicket each.

Speculation over on the forums ahead of the match was that the Board XI's bowling line-up was decent, but that there could be problems with the batting, and so it came to pass as Zim managed to score just 124 before being bowled out. Rising star Regis Chakabva went for a duck with another bright prospect, Friday Kasteni, following soon after for just 2. Bonaparte Mujuru steadied the ship with his 45 but when he was caught by Asad Shafiq off Yasir Shah, things fell apart for the Board XI as the tail collapsed with the side well short of their target.

The next one-dayer between the ZC Board XI and the Pakistan Cricket Academy is at Harare Sports Club on Sunday. Scorecard below the cut.
Pakistan Cricket Academy 237/8 (50 overs; Iqbal 61, Cremer 3/46), Zimbabwe Cricket Board XI 124 (33.2 overs; Mujuru 45, Shah 3/23). PCA win by 113 runs.

ZC have confirmed the following squad for the 1st one-dayer against Pakistan Academy, which will be played at Harare Sports Club today:

Graeme Cremer (captain), Regis Chakabva (wicket-keeper), Patient Charumbira, Tendai Chisoro, Trevor Garwe, Friday Kasteni, Admire Manyumwa, Timycen Maruma, Johnson Marumisa, Prince Masvaure, Bright Mugochi, Bonaparte Mujuru, Steady Musoso, Foster Mutizwa and Cephas Zhuwawo.

Shingirai Masakadza has also been included in the squad, subject to his passing a late fitness test.

Zimbabwe Board XI may have had the upper hand for most of this match, but Pakistan Academy put in a dominant performance on the final day to secure a 4-wicket win and with it an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

Board XI started well on Day One, scoring 300/6, led by 91 from new boy Tafadzwa Ngulube. The resumption of play on Day Two saw the first worrying signs, though, as Pakistan were able to bowl out the remainder of the Zimbabwean batsmen with just 25 more runs scored. Mohammad Talha was the pick of the visiting bowlers, taking 4/89. In reply, Pakistan picked up 366, with Cremer (4/83) and Garwe (2/78) making sure the visitors were kept within sight. Fawad Alam's 101 was the best score for PCA.

Board XI's second innings got off to a promising start, too, with the side working their way to 201/3 before bad light stopped play on Day Three. The next morning saw a repeat of the first innings though, with Pakistan making early headway and eventually bowling Zimbabwe out for 304, leaving a target of 266 for the visitors to chase. With Zimbabwe's bowlers showing poor form, and captain Khurram Manzoor reaching 115, it turned out to be an easy target to reach. Prince Masvaure was the best of Zim's bowlers, but was only able to contribute 2/30.

Full scorecard below the cut.
Zimbabwe Board XI 328 (Ngulube 91, Talha 4/89) & 304 (Maruma 60, Raheel Majeed 4/80), Pakistan Academy 366 (Fawad Alam 101, Cremer 4/83) & 267/6 (Manzoor 115, Masvaure 2/30). Pakistan Academy win by 4 wickets.

Pakistan Academy cruised to an easy win over Zimbabwe Board XI in Harare yesterday, as the Board XI's 2nd innings ended just before tea on the final day with the side just over 200 runs short of their target. The writing was already on the wall by the end of the first day, when Pakistan eased their way to 330/6, lead by Ahmed Shehzad's 76. Prosper Tsvanhu had scored an early scalp when the visitors' captain Khurram Manzoor was caught behind on just 7, but that was pretty much the highlight of the opening day for the home side. Pakistan when on to reach 482/7 before declaring on day two to give the Zimbabweans their turn with the bat.

They managed to reach just 189 before succumbing, with only Bornaparte Mujuru (90*) putting up significant resistance. In their second innings, Pakistan again declared at 103/2 leave the Board XI to chase a target of 397, but their inexperienced side wasn't up to the task. Tafadzwa Kamungozi top-scored in the 2nd innings with 37.

Full scorecard below the cut
Pakistan Academy 480/7 decl (Ali Asad 100*, Garwe 2/75) & 103/2 decl (Khurram Manzoor 51, Staddon 1/20), Zimbabwe Board XI 184 (Mujuru 90*, Anwar Ali 4/41) & 194 (Kamungozi 37, Yasir Shah 5/70). Pakistan Academy win by 205 runs.

The itinerary has been agreed for Pakistan Academy's tour of Zimbabwe. The matches will be against an as-yet-unnamed ZC Board XI.

The tour will consist of 2 four-day matches and 3 one-dayers, as follows:

23-26 August    1st 4-day match         Harare Sports Club
29 Aug - 1 Sept 2nd 4-day match         Queen's Sports Club, Bulawayo
4 September     1st 1-day match         Queen's Sports Club, Bulawayo
7 September     2nd 1-day match         Harare Sports Club
9 September     3rd 1-day match         Harare Sports Club