After suffering a shocking defeat in the rain-shortened three-match ODI series opener against the hosts Zimbabwe, Pakistan made a solid comeback with a thrashing 10-wicket victory to level the series before the last game of the series.

After the hosts chose to bat first in the second ODI, they were bundled out for only 145 runs. In reply, Pakistan openers this time batted strongly to reach the target in 18.2 overs without losing a wicket. While the debutant Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed shined with the ball, opener Saim Ayub recorded a smashing ODI century in that low chase. 

In the Zimbabwe batting line-up, only Dion Myers (33) and Sean Williams (31) reached the 20-run mark. Pakistan spinners bagged nine wickets in that innings, where the debutant leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed had the bowling figures of 8-2-33-4, and the off-spinner Salman Agha got three wickets (7-0-26-3). Saim Ayub (1/16) and Faisal Akram (1/19) got one wicket each, while the opener Tadiwanashe Marumani was run out. 

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In reply, the 22-year-old Pakistan opener Saim Ayub hit his first ODI hundred in his fifth ODI by smashing a 53-ball century. After completing his 50 runs in 32 balls, the left-handed opening batter powerfully completed his century. While Ayub scored 113 not out off 62 balls with the help of 17 fours and three sixes, his opening partner Abdullah Shafique scored 32 not out off 48 balls.

Debutant Abrar Ahmed claimed a four-wicket haul

• Abrar Ahmed recorded the fifth-best bowling figures by an ODI debutant spinner outside the home. 
• Abrar recorded the third-best bowling figures by a Pakistan ODI debutant. 

Best bowling figures by a Pakistan ODI debutant

Pakistan spinners took nine wickets

• It was the fourth time when Pakistan spinners picked up at least nine wickets in an ODI innings. Out of these four times, Pakistan spinners recorded three times against Zimbabwe, including recording all ten wickets in an innings. 

Saim Ayub recorded one of the fastest ODI centuries

• With his 53-ball century, the opener Saim Ayub recorded the joint third-fastest ODI century by a Pakistan batter. 

Pakistan batters with fastest ODI centuries

Pakistan won by 10 wickets

• It was the fifth time Pakistan won by 10 wickets in an ODI match. However, Zimbabwe became the first team to lose against Pakistan by 10 wickets twice. 

Pakistan ODI record: Winning by 10 wickets

Abrar Ahmed provided the mystery and the mastery that Pakistan’s attack had so lacked in Rawalpindi last week. To rush to stunning debut figures of 7 for 114 in 22 overs in a sensational fast-forwarded second Test in Multan. By tea, Abrar had become the third Pakistan cricketer to take seven wickets in his debut Test innings, and was on course to claim all ten. Fellow legspinner Zahid Mahmood got in on the act with the final three wickets of the innings. Including two in two to pick off wickets eight and nine.

Nevertheless, with Bob Massie and Narendra Hirwani’s historic debuts still out there as inspiration, the prospect of further records in the second innings for Abrar seem very much on the cards. England’s Bazballing batters certainly won’t be clamming up against his threat in a hurry. Despite a significantly more adverse scenario than they had faced on the flattest of decks in the first Tes. Stokes’ men still hurtled along with their new fearless approach. Racking up their 281 runs at a rate of 5.43 across 51.4 overs. En route, they even set a new Test record in an extended two-and-a-half-hour morning session, reaching lunch on 180 for 5 from 32 overs.

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Abrar becomes 3rd Pakistani cricketer to take 7 wickets on debut

The most runs ever made in the first session of a match, and eclipsing the 174 for 0 they had put up at the same stage in Rawalpindi. It all made for a fascinating battle of punch and counter-punch. In conditions that could not have been further removed from the bat-dominant first Test. When Mark Wood’s long handle picked off eight fours in an unbeaten 36 from 27 balls in a priceless last-wicket stand with James Anderson. England might even have felt they were above par for the conditions.

But with Abrar in Pakistan’s ranks, they have a weapon that England will struggle to match. England are no longer a team prepared to wait for the ball with their name on it in such conditions. Not even the loss of Zak Crawley to a sublime googly in Abrar’s first over could persuade them to temper their aggression for long. Having stood tall to the seamers to punch three trademark fours through the covers. Crawley was bowled clean through the gate for 19 from 37 balls as Abrar. With little discernible change of action, flicked out a fifth-ball wrong’un to take out the top of off stump.