Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets

Pakistan completed a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe just before lunch on Monday on the final day of their one-off test.

After Pakistan totaled 466 runs in its first innings in reply to the host's 412, Zimbabwe delayed defeat after Tatenda Taibu hit an undefeated 58 on the fourth day and shared an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 66 with Kyle Jarvis to finish on 135-8 at stumps in the second innings, a lead of 81 runs.

Taibu did not add a single run on the final day, nicking a wide Aizaz Cheema delivery to wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal on the last ball of the day's first over. Last man Chris Mpofu also succumbed to the Akmal-Cheema combination to leave Jarvis stranded on 25 as Zimbabwe was bundled out for 141.

"I'm really pleased with the way the guys played," Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said. "We were under pressure after they scored 412 but the way my guys batted showed great responsibility. The bowlers also did a tremendous job for us. ... I'm really proud of my team. They fought well, batted well and bowled well. They did a good job for me."

Chasing a modest total of 88 runs for victory, Pakistan was led by man-of-the-match Mohammad Hafeez, who scored 38 runs before he was clean-bowled by spinner Ray Price around his legs.

Hafeez scored 119 runs in the first innings, his third test century, and took 4-31 with his accurate off-spin in Zimbabwe's second innings.

Pakistan also lost Taufeeq Umar on 8 and Azhar Ali (22) but Younis Khan (14 not out) and captain Misbah-ul-Haq (6 not out) comfortably took the Asian side home by seven wickets.

"With the way the ball started behaving, turning and bouncing, I knew it would work in our favor," ul-Haq said. "We knew if we bowled in the right channels, stump-to-stump, we would out Zimbabwe under pressure."

Having batted commendably the first innings, with opener Tino Mawoyo scoring an undefeated 163 to become the third Zimbabwean in history to carry his bat through a test innings, a lackluster fielding performance by the host helped Pakistan to 466 in its first innings.

With the Queens Sports Club offering considerable turn and bounce for the spinners as well as assisting the seamers with movement, Zimbabwe's batsmen failed to get to grips with the conditions, collapsing for a measly 55-5 in the second innings at the tea break of the fourth day.

"It was a combination of nerves, weary pitch, quality bowling and poor batting," Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said. "Our technique let us down. But there was positive approach in the way Taibu and Jarvis batted. They showed a lot of character."

Taylor said the conditions in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo, as opposed to Harare, played in Pakistan's favor as the test progressed.

"It's two different wickets," Taylor said. "The one in Harare is faster. This was one was more suited to them."

The match was Zimbabwe's second test after returning to the format following an absence of six years, having beaten Bangladesh by 130 runs in the comeback test in Harare in August.

Scoreboard
Zimbabwe 1st Innings: 412
Pakistan 1st Innings: 466
 

Zimbabwe 2nd Innings

Tino Mawoyo b Ajmal 12
Vusi Sibanda c Ajmal b Cheema 5
Hamilton Masakadza b Cheema 8
Brendan Taylor lbw Ajmal 5
Tatenda Taibu c Akmal b Cheema 58
Craig Ervine lbw Hafeez 6
Greg Lamb lbw Hafeez 7
Ray Price b Hafeez 0
Brian Vitori c Umar b Hafeez 7
Kyle Jarvis not out 25
Chris Mpofu c Akmal b Cheema 0
Extras: (4b, 1lb, 2w, 1nb) 8
TOTAL: (all out) 141
Overs: 54.
Still to bat: Chris Mpofu
Fall of wicket: 1-9, 2-19, 3-31, 4-31, 5-45, 6-61, 7-61, 8-69.
Bowling: Sohail Khan 6-1-19-0 (1nb), Aizaz Cheema 10-4-24-2 (2w), Saeed Ajmal 22-4-53-2, Mohammad Hafeez 15-4-31-4, Junaid Khan 1-0-4-0.

Pakistan 2nd Innings

Mohammad Hafeez b Price 38
Taufeeq Umar c Taibu b Jarvis 8
Azhar Ali c Lamb b Price 22
Younis Khan not out 14
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 6
TOTAL: (for three wickets) 88
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-49, 3-80.
Did not bat: Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Junaid Khan, Sohail Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema.
Bowling: Kyle Jarvis 5-0-17-1, Ray Price 10.4-0-2-35-2, Brian Vitori 2-0-15-0, Greg Lamb 4-0-21-0.
Toss: Pakistan.
Result: Pakistan won by seven wickets.
Umpires: Ian Gould, England, and Rod Tucker, Australia.
Third umpire: Jeremiah Matibiri, Zimbabwe. Match referee: David Boon, Australia.

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