HARARE: Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor paid tribute to Pakistan after the tourists took total control on the second day of the second Test at Harare Sports Club on Saturday, outclassing the home side with both bat and ball to take a huge step towards sealing a 2-0 series victory.
Zimbabwe were 52 for four at the close in reply to Pakistan's 510 for eight declared, 458 runs behind.
After remaining reasonably competitive until lunch on Saturday, Zimbabwe's bowlers took a hammering during the afternoon.
Opening batsman Abid Ali made 215 not out and Nauman Ali slammed 97 before being stumped off a wide.
The pair plundered 169 runs off 199 balls for the eighth wicket.
"They're showing us how to play Test cricket at the moment," admitted Taylor, acknowledging that the afternoon run feast was the culmination of hours of disciplined batting.
"We can learn a lot from their batsmen, the way they apply themselves. They just try and wear you down. At the end of the day your bowlers are almost at the brink. That's what Test cricket is all about."
Taylor said Pakistan's batting took its toll ahead of Zimbabwe's reply.
"You're 150 overs out there fielding and it's never easy getting your mindset around to batting."
The Zimbabwe innings got off to a bad start when 36-year-old debutant Tabish Khan struck in his first over before a run had been scored.
Three more wickets fell before the close and Zimbabwe looked in desperate trouble with Roy Kaia not coming out to bat after being struck a heavy blow on his left knee while fielding at short leg on Friday.
Kaia was Zimbabwe's top-scorer with 48 when Zimbabwe were routed by an innings and 116 runs in the first Test of the two-match series.
"I think he's ruled out for the first innings but he's looking a bit more mobile and hopefully he can come out in the second innings," said Taylor.
Zimbabwe went into the match without three leading batsmen because of injury and Kaia's absence was a further blow.
Even so, Taylor said his side's batting was disappointing.
"We believe we're a far better unit than that. Yes, we're missing some senior players but we've got some young quality there that's certainly capable."
Pakistan's innings ended in bizarre circumstances.
Nauman was 93 not out at tea. He hit the first ball after the interval for four but lifted his back foot after left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro bowled a wide with his next delivery.
Wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva reacted quickly and took off the bails. He hit 97 off 104 balls with five sixes and nine fours.
Having scored most of his runs behind or square of the wicket in scoring his first 150, Abid blossomed with some handsome drives during the afternoon.
He faced 407 balls and hit 29 fours in beating his previous highest score in Tests of 174 against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 2019/20.
Tabish, a veteran of 598 wickets in 137 first-class matches, shared the new ball with Shaheen Shah Afridi, who started with a maiden over.
Tabish set up Tarisai Masakanda with a series of deliveries outside the off stump then trapped the batsman leg before wicket with a full delivery which snaked back.
Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi and off-spinner Sajid Khan all took wickets as only Regis Chakabva, on 28 not out, was able to reach double figures.
Abid hits double century as Pakistan show Zimbabwe 'how to play cricket'
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Abid hits double century as Pakistan show Zimbabwe 'how to play cricket'
- Zimbabwe were 52 for four at the close in reply to Pakistan's 510 for eight declared, 458 runs behind
- Abid Ali and Nauman Ali plundered 169 runs off 199 balls for the eighth wicket
US sees 18 percent rise in Pakistani students despite UGRAD pause, opens new USEFP headquarters
- USEFP inaugurates purpose-built campus in Islamabad as Fulbright program marks 75 years in Pakistan
- Undergraduate UGRAD program remains suspended but graduate scholarships and visas continue, US officials say
ISLAMABAD: The United States inaugurated a new purpose-built headquarters for the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) this week, as American officials reported an 18 percent rise in Pakistani students studying in the US, despite the suspension of a major undergraduate exchange scheme earlier this year.
The launch comes as the Fulbright program completes 75 years in Pakistan, the world’s largest US-funded scholarship portfolio for master’s and PhD study. Officials said growing student mobility and stable visa issuance reflect continued academic engagement between the two countries, even after the UGRAD exchange program was paused in April.
USEFP Executive Director Peter Moran told Arab News that Pakistani students are still securing visas without unusual difficulty and enrollment levels remain strong.
“We are not finding that Pakistani students are facing undue difficulties getting their visas when they want to go and study on their own. The number of Pakistani students who are studying in the United States, actually based on data from the year before last, because you know there’s always a lag, it’s up 18 percent,” Moran said, citing 2023 figures.
He said nearly 10,000 Pakistanis are currently enrolled in US institutions, including self-funded students. While UGRAD, which previously sent 100–130 undergraduates per year, remains paused under US budget adjustments, Moran said there is hope it will return.
“So, the UGRAD program for now is on pause ... the UGRAD program sent undergraduate, actually high school students. That program ended in April. We don’t know when that will come back, but we sure hope that it will.”
USEFP clarified that no reductions have been applied to graduate programs.
“There is no cut on Fulbright… and we don’t anticipate there being any,” Moran added.
Around 65 Pakistani scholars left for the US through Fulbright this year, another 10–12 departed under the Humphrey Fellowship, and USEFP expects next year’s Fulbright cohort to rise to 75–80.
The inauguration of the new headquarters brought together US officials, scholarship alumni and education leaders.
US Embassy Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy Andy Halus said the new facility reflects the depth of the bilateral academic partnership.
“We have over 9,000 students in Pakistan that have had experience in the United States on the Fulbright programs that started 70 years ago. Our commitment to sending more and more students to the United States on the Fulbright program is strong and it’s going to continue.”
Among attendees was Fulbright alumnus Aftab Haider, the CEO of Pakistan Single Window, the government-backed digital trade clearance platform. He credited the scholarship with shaping his career:
“I am a very proud Fulbrighter from 2008. I think it is one of the most transformational programs that can be offered to young Pakistanis to have the opportunity to be educated abroad, come back to Pakistan and contribute in public service delivery as well as in enhancement of the private sector.”
