Haider Ali, Usman Qadir lift Pakistan to another big win over Zimbabwe in second T20

Published November 8, 2020
Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman plays a shot during the second Twenty20 cricket match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on November 8. — AFP
Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman plays a shot during the second Twenty20 cricket match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on November 8. — AFP
Zimbabwe's Wesley Madhevere (R) plays a shot during the second Twenty20 cricket match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on November 8. — AFP
Zimbabwe's Wesley Madhevere (R) plays a shot during the second Twenty20 cricket match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on November 8. — AFP
Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf, third left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Zimbabwe's batsman Brendan Taylor during their 2nd Twenty20 cricket match at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on November 8. — AP
Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf, third left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Zimbabwe's batsman Brendan Taylor during their 2nd Twenty20 cricket match at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on November 8. — AP

Youngster Haider Ali and captain Babar Azam plundered half-centuries as Pakistan crushed Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the second Twenty20 international on Sunday.

Ali, 20, playing in only his third Twenty20, made an unbeaten 66 off 43 balls and Azam (51) hit a second successive half-century off 28 deliveries that eased Pakistan to 137-2 in 15.1 overs.

Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani got both wickets to finish with 2-33 but the rest of the Zimbabwe attack struggled to contain Ali and Azam's fluent strokes.

The duo shared a 100-run second-wicket stand off only 63 balls before Azam holed out at long off after hitting eight fours and a six.

Ali scored a half-century in his Twenty20 debut against England in September and hit six fours and three sixes in yet another impressive knock on Sunday.

Earlier, after being put in to bat, fast bowler Haris Rauf and leg-spinner Usman Qadir combined to take six wickets between them and restricted Zimbabwe to 134-7.

Rauf removed Brendan Taylor (3) and captain Chamu Chibhabha (15) in his first two overs before finishing with 3-31.

Qadir 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.

The comprehensive win gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after it beat the visitors by six wickets on Saturday. The final game of the series will be played on Tuesday.

Earlier, captain Babar Azam won the toss and sent Zimbabwe in to bat in the second Twenty20 international. 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. The final match is on Tuesday, also in Rawalpindi.

Teams

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain

Zimbabwe: Chamu Chibhabha (captain), Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Tendai Chisoro, Wesley Madhevere, Elton Chigumbura, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Donald Tiripano, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams

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