HYDERABAD, Jan 24 Pakistan survived a mid-innings collapse before Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf steered them to a five-wicket victory over Zimbabwe at the Niaz Stadium here on Thursday to go 2-0 up in the five-match One-day International series. Watched by an enthusiastic, disciplined crowd of around 8,000 which witnessed the first international match in the city after a long gap of 10 years, Pakistan finally romped home with 22 balls to spare by making 239-5, thanks to an unbroken stand of 61 between Afridi (43 off 27 balls, four fours and two sixes) and Yousuf (38 off 63 balls).
The foundation was laid by Nasir Jamshed, the 18-year-old left-handed opening batsman, who was once again in dominating form despite surviving dropped catches as he hammered a belligerent 74 off 64 balls after stroking 61 on his debut at Karachi only three days ago.
Gary Brent was the culprit on both occasions, the first of which proved very costly as Nasir was only on six at the time as the bowler failed to catch him off his own bowling. To his credit, Nasir took full advantage of that reprieve to blast 14 powerful boundaries, 12 of them off Brent and Elton Chigumbura, the two opening bowlers.
After Salman Butt (17) was out cheaply for the second consecutive match, Nasir and Younis Khan joined hands to add 95 in 80 balls until both were run out; Nasir attempting a suicidal run to bowler Ray Price who broke the stumps at the striker's end. Younis, who contributed 35 off 31 deliveries, was spectacularly undone by a direct hit from Vusi Sibanda after Yousuf called him for a risky single.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik (4) was smartly stumped by Tatenda Taibu off slow left-armer Ray Price, easily the day's most economical bowler (1-21 in 10 overs), while Misbah-ul-Haq (20 off 50 balls) was splendidly caught deep on the onside by Brendan Taylor.
Zimbabwe further squandered the possibility of an unlikely win when Chamu Chibhabha and Hamilton Masakadza let off Yousuf and Afridi respectively. But compared to the opening game of the series, it was a creditable performance by the visitors who showed some character despite being handicapped by the absence of their skipper and off-spinner Prosper Utseya who suffered a leg injury while batting in the nets.
Earlier, Zimbabwe's innings of 238-8 revolved around just two men, Masakadza (87 off 103 balls) and Taibu (81 off 111 balls), while Taylor provided brief support as the visitors lost their way after reaching 193 for three in 40 overs.
Utseya won his second straight toss, but unlike the opening match three days ago, this time he decided that Zimbabwe would bat first with Brent coming in for Christopher Mpofu in the only change from the side that was overwhelmed by 104 runs at Karachi. On the other hand, Pakistan fielded an unchanged XI.
Zimbabwe needed a good start to boost their confidence after being thoroughly outplayed in the Karachi ODI. But their hopes were vanquished by another impressive opening new-ball burst from Sohail Tanvir. The 23-year-old left-arm seamer, who went onto record career-best figures of four for 34 in his 10th One-day International, sent back Sibanda and Chibhabha in successive overs to leave Zimbabwe struggling at 19 for two in the seventh over.
Sibanda, who made 59 off 54 three days ago, had made only nine when Sohail slanted one across the right-handed opener to have him caught behind by Kamran Akmal for nine. Chibhabha, another one to pass 50 in Karachi, lasted only three deliveries as he thick-edged a comfortable catch to Misbah-ul-Haq at first slip as the ball rose from a good length spot.
As the pitch eased out, the Zimbabwe batsmen settled as both Masakadza and Taibu illustrated in denying Pakistan another wicket for almost 26 overs while putting on 137 in 157 balls to record the highest partnership -and only the fourth three-figure stand - at Niaz Stadium.
Masakadza shaped up very well and made Rao Iftikhar pay heavily for erring in direction by carving the right-arm medium-pacer for six of his 10 boundaries. The 24-year-old, making his 48th ODI appearance, surpassed his previous best score of 80 - which he made against West Indies at Bulawayo last month - before Afridi induced an inside edge onto the stumps.
Taylor then joined Taibu to add 55 before Zimbabwe's innings subsided as five wickets fell for the addition of only nine runs in 27 deliveries.
Taylor sliced Sohail to Shoaib Malik at point for 26. Malik struck five balls later to have Elton Chigumbura taken at deep mid-off by Younis for one.
Taibu followed soon afterwards when Kamran Akmal held a fine catch while standing up to Sohail. The former Zimbabwe skipper's eighth half-century in 93 one-dayers contained three fours.
Rao Iftikhar, whose opening four-over spell went for 37 runs, came back strongly to dismiss Sean Williams (3) and Stuart Matsikenyeri (1) in the same over.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-8) 11
Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 238
FALL OF WKTS 1-16, 2-19, 3-156, 4-211, 5-213, 6-218, 7-218, 8-220
BOWLING Tanveer 10-0-34-4 (W-5), Niazi 10-0-55-0, Iftikhar 6-0-43-2, Malik 10-1-37-1 (W-1), Afridi 10-1-39-1 (W-2), Younis 4-0-27-0
PAKISTAN
EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1, W-5) 8
TOTAL (for 5 wkts, 46.2 overs) 239
FALL OF WKTS 1-34, 2-129, 3-131, 4-139, 5-178
BOWLING Chigumbura 9-0-56-1 (W-1), Brent 10-2-46-0, Chibhabha 5-0-41-0, Price 10-1-21-1 (W-1), Masakadza 8-0-42-1 (W-2), Williams 4-0-29-0, Matsikenyeri 0.2-0-2-0 (W-1)
RESULT Pakistan won by five wickets
UMPIRES Asoka de Silva (SRI), Nadeem Ghouri (PAK)
TV UMPIRE Riazuddin (PAK)
MATCH REFEREE Chris Broad (ENG)
