Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Second Test: Heroes of the day

Tendai Chatara

In one of the biggest upsets in recent times, Zimbabwe humbled the mighty Pakistan squad by winning the second and final Test, thus levelling the two-match series 1-1. The victory might just do Brendan Taylor’s inexperienced lot a world of good, especially at a time when the players’ union is involved in a lengthy and tense negotiation battle with Zimbabwe Cricket over unpaid salaries.

Making first use of the wicket, the hosts made 294 in their first innings, riding on half-centuries from skipper Taylor and veteran batsman Hamilton Masakadza, with left-arm pacer Junaid Khan grabbing four wickets. But Zimbabwe seamer Brian Vitori hit back with a five-wicket haul, restricting the visitors to 230 in their first innings.

Rahat Ali then demolished the African line-up with yet another fiver, leaving his side a target of 264 to win. Despite a battling innings from captain Misbah ul Haq, Pakistan eventually finished 24 runs short, with Tendai Chatara doing the star turn for his side with the ball.

Here are the Heroes of the day:

Tendai Chatara (6/106 overall; 5/61 in the second innings)

The young fast bowler had troubled the Indian line-up in the preceding one-day series with his pace. Here too, he produced a lively display of seam and pace, bowling in all the right areas as the inexperienced batsmen in the opposition’s line up found themselves in all sorts of discomfort.

He removed Mohammad Hafeez with a fullish delivery on middle and leg, forcing the batsman to play the flick early. Next, he castled Azhar Ali for a ten-ball duck, before returning to dismiss Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan to finish with his maiden five-for in Test cricket. He forms an excellent new-ball combination with left-armer Vitori, and needs to be nurtured well by the team management.

Misbah ul Haq (79* off 181 balls – 9 fours in the second innings; 112 runs overall)

There’s only one man in the current Pakistan line-up who delivers for his side time and again (strangely, it wasn’t Younus Khan this time around). Misbah ul Haq played a typical Test innings – caution blended well with aggression – as he fought hard to get his side over the finish line.

He did not receive the kind of support he deserved, especially when it was imperative that the middle-order bat around him given that the Zimbabwean attack was beginning to breathe fire.

Nevertheless, the cool customer that he is, Misbah waited for the loose deliveries and grafted for his runs, as he chipped away at the target of 264. Eventually, it became too much for the skipper as he ran out of partners. A fine knock nonetheless!

Hamilton Masakadza’s run out-the moment of brilliance that sealed the win

The historic moment came about when veteran Zimbabwe player Hamilton Masakadza, alert as a hawk in the field, swooped down on the ball that last man Rahat Ali played into the covers. In one smooth motion, he picked up the red cherry, took aim and fired it at the now-crowded non-striker’s end, where another player whipped off the bails. Ali was well short of his crease, and umpire Steve Davis confirmed it by raising his finger. Heartbreak for one, jubilation for the other – that’s cricket for you!

Pakistan need to go back to the drawing board to iron out the flaws in their batting approach. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, must savour the sweet taste of victory and look to build on this achievement. Their confidence will be sky-high, having beaten a world-class team, and it is up to the think-tank to help them grow from here.