Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Haider Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf and Usman Qadir shone with bat and ball as Pakistan outplayed Zimbabwe by eight wickets to win the second Twenty20 international at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium here on Sunday. The comprehensive win gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after they defeated the visitors by six wickets on Saturday. The final game of the series will be played at the same venue on Tuesday (tomorrow). Chasing a modest victory target of 135, youngster Haider and captain Babar plundered half-centuries to help the hosts raced home in 15.1 overs. Haider, 20, playing in only his third T20I, made an unbeaten 66 off 43 balls and Babar (51) hit a second successive half-century off 28 deliveries. Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani got both wickets to finish with 2-33 but the rest of the Zimbabwe attack struggled to contain Haider and Babar’s fluent strokes. The duo shared a 100-run second-wicket stand off only 63 balls before Babar holed out at long off after hitting eight fours and a six. Haider, who also scored a half-century in his T20I debut against England in September this year, and hit six fours and three sixes in yet another impressive knock yesterday.

Earlier, after being put in to bat, fast bowler Haris and leg-spinner Usman sahred six wickets between them and restricted Zimbabwe to 134-7. Haris removed Brendan Taylor (3) and captain Chamu Chibhabha (15) in his first two overs before finishing with 3-31. Usman eclipsed Rauf with 3-23 as he deceived the middle-order with his sharp leg breaks and googlies. Ryan Burl top-scored with 32 not out to stretch the total, but Pakistan’s strong top order batting finished the game with 29 balls to spare. Pakistan kept the same line-up that won the first match by six wickets at the same venue on Saturday. Zimbabwe left out Tendai Chatara to bring in another fast bowler Donald Tiripano for the only change from the last game.