PAK Vs ZIM: Saim's Maiden Ton, Abrar's Debut Heroics Guide Pakistan To Crush Zimbabwe By 10 Wickets In 2nd ODI

Saim Ayub smashed a maiden ODI hundred off 53 balls as Pakistan romped to a 10-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second one-day international on Tuesday in Bulawayo. (Match Highlights | More Cricket News)

Ayub, the left-handed opening batter, hit 17 fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 113 off 62 balls and sped Pakistan to 148-0 in 18.2 overs. It was the third-fastest century for Pakistan in ODIs.

Pakistan leveled the three-match series and made amends for its stunning 80-run loss on the DLS method in the rain-affected first match on Sunday.

Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed had earlier snared 4-33 in his debut ODI and off-spinner Salman Ali Agha chipped in with 3-26 to dismiss Zimbabwe for 145 in 32.3 overs after the home team won the toss and elected to bat.

“The way the guys started with the ball, they performed very well and gave us the foundation,” Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan said. “After that, Saim Ayub's innings was exceptional.”

Dion Myers showed flashes of brilliance in his 30-ball knock of 33 with six fours, but the rest of the Zimbabwe batters struggled against both spinners on a wicket conducive for slow bowlers.

Abrar, who bowled alongside new ball bowler Aamer Jamal, struck in his second over when he clean bowled Joylord Gumbie (5) with a sharp turning delivery. Gumbie had earlier been involved in the second successive run-out of the series when Tadiwanashe Marumani fell short of his crease while going for a tight single.

The Zimbabwe batters couldn't gauge the off-spin of Salman with Myers dismissed lbw on the backfoot and captain Craig Ervine (18) smartly caught by wicketkeeper Rizwan as the batter tried to cut the off-spinner.

Sikandar Raza smashed two sixes in his brief knock of 17 before getting holed out at mid-off as Zimbabwe slumped to 5-97. Sean Williams (31) tried to rebuild the innings but his dismissal saw Zimbabwe losing its last five wickets for 24 runs with Abrar mopping up the tail quickly.

Williams could read the length of Ayub's off-spin and was out plumb leg before wicket while going for an extravagant reverse sweep that opened the tail.

“We did not apply ourselves for long enough and did not build any substantial partnerships,” Ervine said. “Guys need to take a hard look at themselves, including myself and be a little hard on each other. In hindsight, we might have bowled first, (but) now we have to regroup and put up a good performance on Thursday.”

Ayub hurried the run-chase with some exquisite drives on both sides of the wicket and raised his half century off 32 balls with his signature pulled shot over fine leg for a six to Trevor Gwandu.

Ayub's opening partner Abdullah Shafique (32 not out) escaped an earlier dropped catch of Blessing Muzarabani before he watched his partner smashing boundaries at will. Ayub reached his century off 53 balls when he hit Brandon Mavuta for a boundary over mid-wicket as the leg-spinner conceded 47 runs off his four wicketless overs.

Flamboyant former international batter Shahid Afridi still holds the record of fastest ODI hundred for Pakistan. He made 102 off 37 balls against Sri Lanka at Nairobi in 1996 and then scored 102 off 45 balls against India at Kanpur in 2005.

The third and final ODI will be played at the same venue on Thursday before the teams will meet in a three-match T20 series.