Rawalpindi, (Samajweekly) Pakistan cruised to an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second T20I in Rawalpindi on Sunday. Zimbabwe were limited to 134/7 with spinner Usman Qadir and fast bowler Haris Rauf taking three wickets each. Captain Babar Azam and Haider Ali then scored half centuries as the hosts made 137/2 in 15.1 overs.
Pakistan have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Rauf made the early breakthroughs with the wickets of openers Brendan Taylor and Chami Chibhabha in the first four overs. His third wicket would come in the 19th over in the form of Donald Tiripano. Qadir, meanwhile, kept up the pressure in the middle overs, dismissing Wesley Madhevere, Sikandar Raza and Elton Chigumbura.
Babar opened the batting with Fakhar Zaman, who was dismissed in the third over by Blessing Muzarabani. Haider then joined his captain and the pair put up a partnership of 100 runs. Babar fell to Muzarabani on 51 off 28 balls in the 13th over while Haider remained unbeaten on 66 off 43.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 134/7 in 20 overs (Ryan Burl 32 not out, Wesley Madhevre 24; Usman Qadir 3/23) vs Pakistan 137/2 in 15.1 overs (Haider Ali 66 not out, Babar Azam 51; Blessing Muzarabani 2/31)
