Pakistan on verge of successive innings triumph

HARARE: Pakistan were on the brink of a second successive innings win against Zimbabwe despite a fighting performance by Regis Chakabva on the third day of the second and final Test at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

Bad light ended play with Zimbabwe on 220 for nine in their follow-on innings, 158 runs short of making Pakistan bat again.

Chakabva made 80 as Zimbabwe made their highest total of a series in which they have been outclassed.

Chakabva followed up his top score of 33 in the first innings by making his team’s only half-century in the two matches.

Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali continued his mastery over Zimbabwe’s batsmen, taking a career-best five for 27 as the host nation were bowled out for 132 in the first innings.

But Hasan, man of the match after taking nine for 89 when Pakistan won the first Test by an innings and 116 runs at the same venue, went wicketless in the second innings despite conceding only nine runs in ten overs.

Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali took five for 86 and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed four for 45 in the second innings.

Chakabva batted aggressively in his 137-ball innings, hitting 13 fours and two sixes.

He shared an attacking third wicket partnership of 79 with captain Brendan Taylor, who raced to 49 off 31 balls before being caught by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan down the leg side off Afridi.

Chakabva fell when he edged an attempted big hit off Nauman to Pakistan captain Babar Azam at slip.

It was the start of a collapse in which six wickets fell for 35 runs.

With Zimbabwe’s last two batsmen at the wicket, the umpires allowed an extra half hour’s play in order to try to achieve a result but called off play for bad light four overs into the extra time.

Score Board

Pakistan won toss

Pakistan 1st innings 510-8 dec

Zimbabwe 1st innings 132 all out

Zimbabwe 2nd innings (follow-on)

K. Kasuza b Nauman Ali 22

T. Musakanda c Rizwan b Shaheen 8

R Chakabva c Babar b Nauman Ali 80

B. Taylor c Rizwan b Shaheen 49

M. Shumba c Imran b Nauman Ali 16

L. Jongwe not out 31

D. Tiripano lbw b Nauman Ali 0

R. Kaia c Sajid Khan b Nauman Ali 0

T. Chisoro b Shaheen Afridi 8

R. Ngarava b Shaheen Afridi 0

B. Muzarabani not out 0

Extras (b1, lb5) 6

Total (9 wkts, 63 overs) 220

Fall: 1-13 (Musakanda), 2-63 (Kasuza), 3-142 (Taylor), 4-170 (Chakabva), 5-188 (Shumba), 6-196 (Tiripano), 7-196 (Kaia), 8-205 (Chisoro), 9-205 (Ngarava)

Bowling: Shaheen Afridi 17-5-45-4, Tabish Khan 9-2-42-0, Hasan Ali 10-7-9-0, Sajid Khan 6-1-32-0, Nauman Ali 21-3-86-5

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA), Langton Rusere (ZIM)