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Pakistan's two Alis score tons against Zim

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Pakistan's Azhar Ali en route to making a hundred in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Harare.
Camera IconPakistan's Azhar Ali en route to making a hundred in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Harare. Credit: AP

Pakistan have reached 4-268 against Zimbabwe on the opening day of the second Test after centuries by Abid Ali and Azhar Ali.

But the visitors' position would have been even stronger on Friday if they hadn't lost three wickets for 16 runs just before stumps.

Opener Abid Ali, 118 not out, and No. 3 Azhar Ali, 126, drove the tourists to a completely dominant 1-248 at Harare Sports Club with their huge second-wicket partnership of 236 being a record for the second wicket, and fourth highest for any wicket, at the ground.

Their stand lasted nearly the whole day as they came together in the eighth over after Imran Butt went for two.

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Azhar Ali fell just before stumps after hitting 17 fours and a six, and captain Babar Azam (2) and Fawad Alam (5) were also out in the last eight overs of the day to give Zimbabwe some respite.

Pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani took all three of those wickets in three successive overs from him as Zimbabwe used the new ball well.

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But Abid Ali was unbeaten with 17 fours at stumps and Pakistan, despite the late wickets, were in the kind of strong position they hoped for after opting to bat first in the last Test of the short series.

Pakistan won the first match by an innings in three days in Harare and are on the cusp of rounding off a highly successful tour of southern Africa.

They've already won every other series they've played in on this trip -one-day and Twenty20 series in South Africa, and a T20 series in Zimbabwe.

Pakistan decided to give a Test debut to 36-year-old fast bowler Tabish Khan in the last match of the tour, 18 years after his first-class debut.

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