Pacer Tendai Chatara bowls Zimbabwe to historic win over Pakistan

Fast bowler Tendai Chatara took five wickets as Zimbabwe pulled off a dramatic 24-run win on the fifth day of the second and final Test against Pakistan at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

Chatara's Test-best figures of five for 61 proved the crucial difference despite an unbeaten 79 by Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

The two-match series finished tied at 1-1 after Pakistan won the first Test at the same venue by 221 runs.

Resuming at 158 for five, Pakistan suffered an early blow when Chatara trapped Adnan Akmal leg before wicket with only five runs added. Akmal, who made 20, went back to a ball which angled in towards his stumps.

Abdur Rehman scored 16 in a seventh wicket partnership of 34 with Misbah, who was content to continue to bat watchfully, as he had done on the fourth afternoon, before Rehman was caught behind off Tinashe Panyangara.

Chatara returned to the attack and immediately claimed the wicket of Saeed Ajmal in almost identical fashion to the way he dismissed Akmal, with the batsmen going back to a ball which cut back sharply and hit him on the pads.

Misbah faced 161 balls in reaching 58 at lunch. He stepped up the pace after the interval, keeping the strike with singles in the first two overs from Chatara and Brian Vitori, then taking 11 runs off an over from Chatara, including two boundaries. Two more fours came from Vitori's next over.

The second four off Vitori meant, however, that Junaid had to face the second new ball, which was taken with 26 runs needed. Chatara had Junaid caught at gully with the fourth delivery.

Last batsman Rahat Ali edged a single off the next delivery. Seeking to retain the strike, Misbah pushed the last ball of the over into the covers but sent Rahat back as Hamilton Masakadza swooped to pick up the ball. Rahat was unable to regain his crease and was run out comfortably, sparking exuberant celebrations by the Zimbabwe players. (Read: Misbah laments batting woes)

Zimbabwe have won only 11 Test matches of the 94 they have played, with the latest, this historic one against a much stronger and touted Pakistan side.

This is Zimbabwe's third Test win over Pakistan. In fact they have come a full circle having garnered their first ever Test win - by an innings and 64 runs - against this very opposition in 1994-95 season. (Pakistan drop to sixth in ICC Test rankings)

Zimbabwe have since then beaten Pakistan at Peshawar in 1998. They have twice gone on to beat India too, on this very ground in Harare while all their other Test wins - six - have come against Bangladesh - 4 of them at Harare.

In all, Zimbabwe have won eight out of 11 Tests at Harare now.

(With AFP Inputs)