Test victories do not come easy for an underdog striving to cause an upset, and Younis Khan capitalised on his reprieves to bury Zimbabwe's chances with his fourth double-century. He set the hosts the challenge of making their highest total in the fourth innings, in a little over three sessions, on a wearing pitch, against an attack led by Saeed Ajmal. Battling for a draw, the more realistic objective, was demanding in itself.
Zimbabwe had hope at the start of the day. Pakistan were 90 ahead and four down, and Tendai Chatara bowled Asad Shafiq in the first over. Another wicket in the next few overs would have exposed Pakistan's tail just around when the second new ball was available. Younis, however, found reliable company in Adnan Akmal, whose career-best 64 was the larger contribution in their 118-run partnership that swung the Test.
Zimbabwe had an early opportunity too, but they were left wondering what could have been if only they had taken it. On 83, in the first half-hour, off the first ball of the 76th over bowled by Hamilton Masakadza, Younis slashed and edged. Tino Mawoyo was not low enough at first slip and the ball scurried between his legs.
There were no more chances in the first session. The new ball was given to Chatara and Tinashe Panyangara, and though they were disciplined, the pitch was placid and there were no alarms barring the odd delivery that held its line to beat Akmal's bat.
Younis slowed down against the new ball, and he eventually brought up his century by flicking the last delivery of the 85th over to the boundary. He did not play another rash shot but soon began to score more briskly, while Akmal broke stretches of defence with the occasional boundary, including a reverse sweep.
Zimbabwe did not go to pieces but the bite in their bowling was not as sharp and run-scoring was largely risk-free. At the end of the first session, Pakistan were ahead by180 and Zimbabwe had only one wicket to show for their morning's effort.
After the break, Younis and Akmal remained content with blocking. The first ten overs post lunch produced only nine runs and during that time Younis, on 117, slashed at Hamilton Masakadza once again, and once again he was dropped, this time by Malcolm Waller at gully. Pakistan's lead had not yet got out of hand, but Younis ensured it did.
Akmal brought up his third Test half-century and made 64, a personal best. He struck the first boundary of the second session, pulling Hamilton Masakadza, only in the 111th over. Younis, meanwhile, scored only three runs in the first hour but if his slow strike-rate was bothering him, there was no evidence of it. The key player in keeping the scoring down was Panyangara, who finished the innings with 14 maidens in 30 overs.
The wicket, when it finally came, was via a run-out. No other mode of dismissal seemed likely and even this error was out of the blue. Both batsmen were guilty of ball-watching after Akmal played to deep point and turned for the second without looking at his partner. The partnership had taken the lead beyond 200.
Pakistan had only scored 51 between lunch and tea and so when four wickets fell in a clutch - three to Prosper Utseya - Zimbabwe could have limited their target to around 250. Their bowlers, however, were wearing and Younis, batting with the last man Rahat Ali, began to open up. After passing 150, he began to slog sweep to the boundary and play the reverse of that shot too. And once he realised Rahat was making clean contact, striking several blows to and over the boundary, he didn't bother with farming strike.
The question remained about when Pakistan would declare and the longer they left it the more likely it seemed that Younis would be given the chance to score a double-hundred. Eventually, with ten overs remaining, Misbah-ul-Haq signalled from the dressing room that he had one more over. Three balls later Younis mowed one over the midwicket boundary and left the field with arms raised in triumph. His last-wicket stand of 88 with Rahat had set Zimbabwe a target of 342.
The day, which had begun so promisingly, got worse for Zimbabwe. Their openers survived seven of the remaining eight overs unscathed but Saeed Ajmal spun one into Tino Mawoyo's pads, trapping him plumb in front. Ajmal now has eight wickets in the Test, and has nine more tomorrow from which he can swell his tally.
Tea Pakistan 249 and 309 for 7 (Younis 136*, Ajmal 0*) lead Zimbabwe 327 by 231 runs
Pakistan's lead grew slowly and not by much after lunch on the fourth day, but Zimbabwe endured another mediocre session, leaving them with the prospect of chasing around 250 in the final innings, a daunting task against an attack that includes Saeed Ajmal. Younis Khan was the glue for Pakistan, scoring his 22nd Test hundred, and Adnan Akmal's half-century prevented Zimbabwe from having an early crack at the tail.
Tendai Chatara had raised Zimbabwe's hopes when he struck in the day's opening over. He delivered a testing first ball to Asad Shafiq that nipped back off the pitch and found the gap between bat and pad to clip off the bails. Pakistan had added only one to their overnight lead of 90 and another wicket would have exposed the bowlers before the second new-ball was available.
That wicket, however, did not come until the ball was 37 overs old, but Zimbabwe had only themselves to blame for that wait, because they let off Younis Khan on 83. Hamilton Masakadza had used his specialist quicks for only five overs in the morning before bringing himself on in the 76th. Younis, who had batted with more freedom than he did on the third day, slashed at the first ball and edged to first slip, where Tino Mawoyo was not low enough. He did not get hands on the ball as it scurried between his legs, and it was not the last reprieve Younis would have.
There were no more chances in the first session, though. The new ball was given to Chatara and Tinashe Panyangara, and though they were disciplined, the pitch was placid and there were no alarms barring the odd delivery that held its line to beat Akmal's bat.
Younis had slowed down against the new-ball, and he eventually brought up his century by flicking the last delivery of the 85th over to the boundary. He did not play another rash shot but soon began to score more briskly, while Akmal broke stretches of defence with the occasional boundary, including a reverse sweep.
Zimbabwe did not go to pieces but the bite in their bowling was not as sharp and run-scoring was largely risk-free. There was a confident lbw shout against either batsman shortly before lunch but the umpires decided the angle would have taken the balls past leg stump.
At the end of the first session, Pakistan were ahead by 180 and Zimbabwe had only one wicket to show for their morning's effort.
After the break, Younis and Akmal showed no intention of taking charge, remaining content to block out a steady but unthreatening Zimbabwe attack. The first ten overs of the second session produced only nine runs and during that time Younis, on 117, slashed at Hamilton Masakadza once again, and once again he was dropped, this time by Malcolm Waller at gully.
Akmal brought up his third Test half-century and went on to make 64, a personal best. He struck the first boundary of the second session, pulling Hamilton Masakadza in the 111th over. Younis, meanwhile, scored only three runs in the first hour but if his slow strike-rate was bothering him, there was no evidence of it. The key player in keeping the scoring down was Panyangara, who had bowled 14 maidens and conceded only 30 runs in 27 overs.
The wicket, when it finally came, was via a run-out. No other mode of dismissal seemed likely and even this error was out of the blue. Both batsmen were guilty of ball-watching after Akmal played to deep point and turned for the second without looking at his partner. The partnership had been worth 118 and it had taken the lead beyond 200.
Prosper Utseya dismissed Abdur Rehman too shortly before tea, and with Pakistan's lead only 231 - they scored only 51 after lunch - Younis might resort to shielding the tail to stretch the advantage to 250. By the end of the second session, the odd ball had started to keep low, an ominous sign for the team batting last.
Lunch Pakistan 249 and 258 for 5 (Younis 115*, Akmal 46*) lead Zimbabwe 327 by 180 runs
Tendai Chatara raised hopes of an excellent session for Zimbabwe when he struck in the first over of the day, but it was not to be. The hosts were blunted by the enduring defiance of Younis Khan, who brought up his 22nd Test century, and the pluck of Adnan Akmal, an equal partner in the 89-run stand that swelled Pakistan's lead to 180. Another wicket would have exposed Pakistan's tail but Zimbabwe were unable to take it in the first session.
In the opening over, however, Chatara had delivered a testing first ball that nipped back off the pitch and found the gap between Asad Shafiq's bat and pad to clip off the bails. Pakistan had added only one to their overnight lead of 90. Both Chatara and Shingi Masakadza bowled tight lines and length so it was a surprise when Chatara sent down a leg-side wide that beat the keeper and took the lead past 100.
With the second new ball not far away, Hamilton Masakadza used his specialist quicks for only five overs before bringing himself on in the 76th. It was so nearly an immediate masterstroke. Younis, who had batted with more freedom than he did on the third day, slashed at the first ball and edged low to first slip, where Tino Mawoyo was not low enough. He did not get hands on the ball as it scurried between his legs, reprieving Younis on 83.
There were no more chances. The new ball was given to Chatara and Panyangara, and though they were disciplined, the pitch was placid and there were no alarms barring the odd delivery that held its line to beat Akmal's bat. Younis had slowed down after his let-off and against the new-ball, and he brought up his century by flicking the last delivery of the 85th over to the boundary.
There were no more chances. The new ball was given to Chatara and Panyangara, and though they were disciplined, the pitch was placid and there were no alarms barring the odd delivery that held its line to beat Akmal's bat. Younis had slowed down after his let-off and against the new-ball, and he brought up his century by flicking the last delivery of the 85th over to the boundary.
He did not play another rash shot but began to score more briskly, while Akmal broke stretches of defence with the occasional boundary, including a reverse sweep. Akmal brought up the 50-partnership by driving Tinashe Panyangara on the up through cover.
Zimbabwe did not go to pieces but the bite in their bowling was not as sharp and run-scoring was largely risk-free. There was a confident lbw shout against either batsman but the umpires decided the angle would have taken the ball past leg stump.
With the lead approaching 200, time is running out for Zimbabwe. Another good session for Pakistan could shut the hosts out of a contest that has been tightly fought so far.
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