JOIN USZimbabwe captured nine Pakistan wickets for 249 runs on the opening day of the first Test in on Tuesday after a frustrating ninth-wicket partnership between Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan.
Ajmal was still at the crease one short of his second Test half-century at the close while Junaid Khan contributed 17 to a partnership of 67 before he was caught behind off the penultimate ball of the day.
Zimbabwe, playing without captain Brendan Taylor who was attending the birth of his first child, grabbed wickets at regular intervals throughout the day with opening bowler Tinashe Panyangara returning the best figures of 3-71.
The home side had Pakistan teetering at 27 for three after the experienced Younus Khan was bowled by Panyangara for only three as the ball spun back on to his stumps.
Azhar Ali then scored 78 and captain Misbah-ul-Haq tallied 53 to restore some respectability to the Pakistan innings. Zimbabwe went into the Test amid a controversy over unpaid wages.
PAKISTAN (I Innings):
Manzoor lbw Panyangara 11
Hafeez c Sibanda b Chatara 5
Azhar c Sibanda b SW Masakadza 78
Younis b Panyangara 3
Misbah c Sibanda b Utseya 53
Shafiq c Mawoyo b Utseya 4
Akmal b Chatara 18
Rehman lbw SW Masakadza 7
Ajmal (batting) 49
Junaid c M’umbami b P’angara 17
Extras (LB-3, W-1) 4
Total (for 9 wkts, 89.5 overs) 249
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-21, 3-27, 4-120, 5-132, 6-157, 7-173, 8-182, 9-249.
Bowling: Chatara 22-6-64-2, Panyangara 19.5-2-71-3, SW Masakadza 22-8-40-2, Chigumbura 2-0-15-0, Utseya 23-1-55-2, H Masakadza 1-0-1-0.