Hafeez Stars Again As Pakistan Complete Perfect Tour

Hafeez Stars Again As Pakistan Complete Perfect Tour

Mohammad Hafeez (right) celebrates his half-century in the second Twenty20 International in Harare as Tatenda Taibu looks on

©REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo (ZIMBABWE - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Pakistan 141-7 (Mohammad Hafeez 51, Jarvis 3-14)  beat
Zimbabwe 136-7 (Taibu 37no, Hafeez 3-11) by 5 runs
Second Twenty20 International, Harare
Scorecard

Pakistan gave their coach Waqar Younis a fine send-off by holding on to beat Zimbabwe by five runs in the second and final Twenty20 International in Harare.

Mohammad Hafeez put in an outstanding all-round display - just as he had in the first game - to take three for 11 after having scored 51 as Pakistan completed a tour having won each and every match played.

Hafeez's 51 in 38 balls steered Pakistan to 141 for seven before Zimbabwe were held to 136 for seven in reply despite Tatenda Taibu's unbeaten 37 in 28 deliveries.

Hafeez hit five fours and a six and was the only batsman to score substantially but Umar Akmal's 28 and Misbah-ul-Haq's 15 ensured they had a score to defend.

Kyle Jarvis returned figures of three for 14 by dismissing Rameez Raja (1), Misbah (15) and Sohail Tanvir (7) but Zimbabwe's inability to dismiss Hafeez before they did in the 15th over, when he was caught by Elton Chigumbura off Ray Price, cost them dear.

Their innings got off to a steady start but whereas Pakistan had been able to rely on Hafeez scoring runs quickly at one end as other batsmen were dismissed, Zimbabwe lost wickets in the fifth, seventh, eighth and tenth overs to put them under pressure .

Hafeez's off-spin accounted for Cephas Zhuwao (12), Brendan Taylor (10) and Hamilton Masakadza (3) but Taibu almost took his side to an unlikely win with a late charge.

He hit three fours and a six - as did Chigumbura in making 24 in 18 balls - but their efforts eventually proved to be too little, too late.

Pakistan also won the one-off Test match and the three-match One-Day International series between the two sides without dropping a match.

Younis announced his intention to resign as head coach due to personal reasons last month.

© Cricket World 2011