Babar and Haider dominate after Qadir leaves Zimbabwe in a spin

Rawalpindi, Nov. 8: Half-centuries from captain Babar Azam and Haider Ali saw Pakistan canter to a series-clinching eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second T20I.

Babar called correctly and asked the tourists to bat in Rawalpindi, on a different surface to the one Pakistan prevailed upon when the teams met on Friday.

The outcome was much the same, with Zimbabwe's innings never truly gaining any momentum after Haris Rauf (3-31) removed openers Brendan Taylor and Chamu Chibhabha inside the first four overs.

Leg-spinner Usman Qadir (3-23) was the pick of the Pakistan attack and his double-strike in the 10th over, accounting for Sikandar Raza (seven) and Wesley Madhevere (24) - bowled and lbw respectively by brilliant googlies - left Chibhabha's men 66-5.

From that point it became a matter of occupying the overs, something they managed thanks in large part to Ryan Burl's anchoring and unbeaten 32, which concluded with a six over midwicket off Wahab Riaz as Zimbabwe reached 134-7.

That never looked likely to be enough to contain Pakistan, even when Fakhar Zaman drove Blessing Muzarabani to mid-on in the second over.

That brought Haider together with Babar and they proceeded to compile 100 for the second wicket in 10.3 overs.

Babar raced to 51 off 27 deliveries before departing next ball to Muzarabani (2-33), impressively backing up his match-winning 82 in the series opener.

Haider, who drove with particular panache off the back foot, saw Pakistan home with a minimum of fuss as he finished unbeaten on 66 off 43 deliveries.

The three-match series concludes in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.