Fawad bags fourth Test ton as Pakistan grows lead versus Zimbabwe

Opener Abid Ali (60) also weighed in with a half-century but it was a day to forget for in-form captain Babar Azam as he was out first ball.

Fawad Alam completed a fourth Test century as he guided Pakistan to 374 for six and a commanding lead of 198 runs at the close of play on the second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.

The tourists replied to their host’s modest first-innings score of 176 with unorthodox middle-order batsman Fawad, known for a bizarre front-on stance at the crease, leading the way with an unbeaten 108 that came from 155 balls on a slow wicket.

He has now reached a hundred on all four occasions where he has passed 50 in Test cricket and will resume on the third morning with all-rounder Hasan Ali (21 not out), an explosive batsman with the ability to score quick runs.

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Opener Imran Butt fell nine runs short of a first Test century following a patient 91 from 236 balls as he became the first scalp in the longer format for debutant seamer Richard Ngarava.

Fellow opener Abid Ali (60) also weighed in with a half-century but it was a day to forget for in-form captain Babar Azam as he was out first ball.

Babar pushed a delivery from seamer Donald Tiripano (3-89) straight to a short mid-on for a major breakthrough from the home side, but it could not capitalise on the fall of two quick wickets and is now facing the threat of a big first-innings deficit.