Afridi-Nasir setup Pakistan triumph in second ODI

Afridi smashed a hurricane unbeaten 43 off  mere 27 balls with four boundaries and brace of 6s and Yousuf made 38 not out  with two boundaries as Pakistan riding on the luck in the crucial stages, cruised to victory with 22 balls to spare.

Left arm fast medium bowler Sohail Tanvir who produced career best bowling of four wickets for 34 runs was named man of the match as Niaz Stadium was restored as international centre after over ten years.

Afridi dropped on 30 and 32, thrilled the jam pack crowd of 8000 with lusty hitting, hoisting Masakadza and Chibhabha out of the ground for sixes.

When Masakadza got rid of Misbah-ul-Haq for a subdued 20, Zimbabwe was back in the game before Afridi and Yousuf seized the victory for Pakistan with entertaining batting.   

Like in the first one-dayer, Salman Butt continued his lean patch when he was caught behind off Elton Chigumbura for 17 with two boundaries. With Nasir Jamshed, Butt scored 34 runs in seven overs.

However, left handed teenager opener Nasir Jamshed, who made a sensational debut with a blazing 61 in first ODI in Karachi, struck his second consecutive half century to reaffirm his class.

Nasir after surviving a caught a bowl chance by Gary Brent when on six, he continued his aggressive touch when he banged three successive boundaries in Chigumbura’s fifth over.

Nasir and Younis Khan demonstrated powerful hitting and dominated touring Zimbabwe bowling. They added 95 runs for the second wicket to take Pakistan to 131 in 21^st overs. However Pakistan lost three wickets for ten runs and two in space of four balls.

Nasir went after making another dazzling 74 in 64 balls and his knock was studded with 11 boundaries. Younis Khan was run out while stealing a single off a direct throw by Sibanda from square-leg. He made 35 in 31 balls laced with three hits to the boundary.

When skipper Shoaib Malik was caught behind off leg-spinner Ray Price, home team slumped to 139 in 25^th over.

Muhammad Yousuf added 39^th runs for the sixth wicket before Misbah-ul-Haq departed after scoring a subdued 20 in 50 balls with two 4s.

Earlier Vusi Sibanda blasted a superb 87 with ten hits to the ropes and Tatenda Taibu got 81 three 4s as Zimbabwe mustered 238 for the loss of eight wickets in 50 overs.