Pakistan tour of Zimbabwe 2021

10 May 2021

Pakistan on Monday completed a comprehensive innings and 147-run victory over Zimbabwe to sweep the 2-match Test series at the Harare Sports Club. Needing just 1 wicket to win the match on Day 4, Pakistan took just over 20 minutes to wrap up the job thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi's fifth scalp in the final innings.

Shaheen and Nauman Ali shared all the 10 wickets between themselves with both bowlers taking 5 wickets each after Hasan Ali grabbed a five-for in Zimbabwe's first innings. This is the first time Pakistan have had 3 bowlers with a five-wicket haul in the same Test and only the sixth time overall in the format's history.

It's also the first time since 1993 that a team has three bowlers with at least 5 wickets each in a Test match.

Pakistan had elected to bat and posted a massive 510 for 8 declared, boosted by a maiden double-hundred for opener Abid Ali, who spent almost 11 hours at the crease for his unbeaten 215 off 407 balls.

Seamer Hasan Ali claimed 5 for 27 in Zimbabwe’s reply, skittling the home side for 132, before Nauman Ali (5 for 86) and Shaheen did the damage with the ball in the follow-on innings, claiming all the wickets to fall. Shaheen's career-best 5 for 52 took his tally to 6 wickets in the match.

Only Regis Chakabva (80) and stand-in skipper Brendan Taylor (49) offered much resistance to the Pakistan victory charge, with most of the damage done on the third day when the visitors picked up 15 wickets.

Abid Ali was adjudged Player of the Match for his maiden Test double hundred while Hasan Ali was adjudged Player of the Series for taking 14 wickets in 2 matches, including 2 five-wicket hauls.

"The partnership between Abid Ali and Azhar was crucial. In the end, it was an outstanding performance from Nauman too. The way Abid showed character was good to see, he's worked really hard.

"It's a good sign to see the openers performing. Also, the confidence of our batsmen will be high and we have an important series in West Indies coming up as well," Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said.

Pakistan won the first Test by an innings and 116 runs and have now completed a comprehensive series victory, which followed limited overs success in South Africa.