Zimbabwe vs Pakistan: 2nd Test, Day 4 - Harare set for a riveting final day finish

Adnan Akmal (L) and captain Misbah-Ul-Haq will have a great say in the fate of the match

Resuming the day on 121/4, Zimbabwe batsmen never got going and lost wickets at regular intervals to get dismissed for a total score of 199 runs. However, Pakistan’s abject surrender in the first innings meant the home team had set a decent target of 264. With the visitors needing 106 more runs to win and just five wickets in hand, the match is set for an enthralling final day finish.

Brendan Taylor and Vusi Sibanda had to endure a difficult start to the day against Abdur Rehman and Rahat Ali, only wicket takers for Pakistan yesterday, on an unpredictable pitch. Sibanda was the first batsman to be dismissed, edging a full delivery from Ali, on and around the off stump, to the wicketkeeper.

Junaid Khan accounted for Elton Chigumbura as Zimbabwe were 171/7 at the time of lunch with Taylor, extremely fortunate to survive in a wicket resembling a minefield, on an unbeaten 22.

As the innings resumed, the Zimbabwean captain’s luck ran out as he attempted to drive a wide delivery from Rahat Ali only to end up giving a simple catch to Azhar Ali at gully. Saeed Ajmal chipped in with two wickets while Ali’s five-wicket haul, restricting Zimbabwe to less than 200 runs in their second innings, gave hope for Pakistan against a bowling up that did not possess many spinners, leaving alone quality spinners, as Misbah-ul-Haq had pointed out earlier.

Tendai Chatara picked up a couple of quick wickets as Pakistan lost Mohammad Hafeez, caught at mid-on of a leading edge from a full delivery, and Azhar Ali, bowled playing down the wrong line. Khurram Manzoor was fluent on his way to a second fifty in the test match but failed to make it count again, caught at short leg of the bowling of Prosper Utseya, as Pakistan were three down for 90 runs on the board with the most experienced pair of Misbah and Younis at the middle.

Brian Vitori took the most priced scalp of Younis Khan, who was bowled down the leg side. Asad Shafiq’s torrid run in the series continued as the umpires signaled the end of the day with the last recognized pair of Misbah (26) and Adnan Akmal (17) at the crease. Utseya and Chatara picked up two wickets each for Zimbabwe.