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Off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed took a maiden five-wicket haul as Pakistan skittled Zimbabwe for 206 in the second one-day international in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
The 30-year-old finished with 5-40 as Zimbabwe — who won the toss and opted to bat — lost their way from a well-set 3-120 after the halfway mark and were bowled out in 45.1 overs.
Left-hander Sean Williams, who top-scored with a 70-ball 75 and Brendan Taylor (36) were repairing the innings from 59-3 during a fourth-wicket stand of 61 before Ahmed struck.
Ahmed, who had only one wicket from his previous five ODIs, had Taylor caught off a miscued sweep at the boundary to start the slide, which saw tourists lose their last seven wickets for 86 runs.
Taylor, who made a fighting 112 in Zimbabwe’s 26-run defeat in the first match here on Friday, hit two sixes and three boundaries in his 45-ball knock.
Ahmed then removed Wesley Madhevere (10), Sikandar Raza (two) and Tendai Chisoro (seven) to leave Zimbabwe struggling at 150-7.
Williams, who completed his 32nd 50 off 47 balls, holed out to Ahmed at long-off, to end his lone fight. He smashed 10 boundaries and a six.
The three-match series is part of the One-Day Super League, the first qualifying round for the 2023 World Cup. Currently, Pakistan have the upper hand having won the first ODI against Zimbabwe on Friday.
In today’s match, Pakistan handed ODI debuts to batsman Haider Ali and paceman Musa Khan in two changes from the first game while Zimbabwe kept an unchanged eleven.