Summary Afridi even backed Imad to eventually replace spin ace Saeed Ajmal in the side.
HARARE (Agencies) - Pakistan will look to seal the two-game T20 rubber against hosts Zimbabwe when the two teams face off at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.
The visitors took a 1-0 lead in the series when they had a nervy 13-run win in Sunday’s first T20 international, defending a total of 136.
“The batsmen need to take up their responsibility,” said Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi after Sunday’s victory, looking forward to the second game, although he was pleased with his bowlers as they restricted Zimbabwe to 123.
“The bowlers used the pitch, and I am very happy with the bowlers, especially Imran Khan in that last over.”
After being out of the contest for most part of the second innings, Zimbabwe managed to take the match to the last over.
Debutant left-arm pacer Imran managed to hold his nerve in a superb final over to steer his side to victory after young all-rounder Imad Wasim had done earlier damage with four wickets.
Afridi even backed Imad to eventually replace spin ace Saeed Ajmal in the side.
“Imad displayed some extraordinary skill and he can be an alternate to Ajmal,” said the skipper.
Defeat for Zimbabwe means they have now failed to beat Pakistan in eight T20s will be hoping to finally get one over their opponents when the two teams meet on Tuesday before the One-day International series begins from Thursday.
They had a chance to end that losing sequence on Sunday but despite several of their batsmen getting themselves in, they threw their wickets away at crucial periods of the low-scoring encounter.
“We just lost too many wickets at the end,” Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said in the post match conference. “We have come close on many occasions but we keep on losing.
“I’m not going to sit here and make excuses, at the end of the day we were chasing 137 and, despite how well they bowled and how well their spinner [Imad] bowled, it’s just a score that you need to get. We were supposed to get that score, with the kind of players we have.”
