Second ODI: Series level as spirited Zimbabwe lose by 90 runs

Mohammad Hafeez declared Man of the Match for 136 not out as Zimbabwe get all out for 209.

HARARE: Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 90 runs in the second one-day international of a three-match series being played between the two countries here on Thursday.

After late fireworks by Hafeez and Afridi helped Pakistan post a massive 299, Zimbabwe's batsman could not follow up on the same performance they delivered in the first match.

Their captain Brendan Taylor kept Zimbabwe in the hunt with a spirited 79, but after he fell with the team on 200, the game was very much over.

Pakistan managed to bring Zimbabwe down from 199/4 to 209 all out, with Junaid Khan bagging four wickets alongside two strikes each for Ajmal and Rehman, and one for Irfan.

Pakistan opened their bowling with Mohammad Irfan from one end and spinner Abdul Rehman from the other, who denied the Zimbabwean openers any room to flex their arms.

After Hamilton Masakadza and Visu Sibanda fell prey to a mounting pressure to score, Pakistan sneaked out another one with Timycen Maruma getting run out off a throw by Misbah.

With the aggressive Sean Williams and Brendan Taylor at the crease, Zimbabwe looked to succeed in creating a repeat of the first match, but in the end, 300 proved too much.

Earlier, Hafeez smashed an unbeaten 136 from 130 balls to lead the tourists to 299 for four.

Although Zimbabwe reduced Pakistan to 84 for three in the 22nd over with a clinical performance in the field, Hafeez gained control of the innings in a 129-run stand with Umar Amin, who made a measured 59.

The pair added just 66 runs over their first 23 overs together, but then cashed in on the batting powerplay when they hammered 43 runs in five overs.

Amin was brilliantly run out by Tendai Chatara soon after, but Hafeez went to his century in the following over and was well supported by Shahid Afridi in the final stages of the innings.

Afridi clubbed three sixes on his way to 39 not out as Pakistan took 64 runs from the final five overs of the innings, leaving Zimbabwe with a huge task if they are to claim their first series victory over the tourists.