Shaheens rout Zimbabwe Select to keep series alive.

LAHORE -- Half-centuries by Haseebullah, Imran Butt and Omair Bin Yousuf and fine bowling from Qasim Akram and Shahnawaz Dahani helped Pakistan Shaheens beat Zimbabwe Select by 177 runs in the fifth one-day match of their series at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Thursday.

This was Shaheens' second win in the six-match one-day series which the hosts now lead 3-2.

The final match will be played at the same venue on Saturday.

Chasing 315, Zimbabwe Select were never in a position to win the game as they continued to lose wickets regularly and were dismissed for a paltry 137 in 31.4 overs. Only wicket-keeper/batter Clive Madande, batting at number seven, made a useful contribution of 41 not out off 46 balls while hitting five fours.

For Shaheens, fast bowler Dahani and off-spinner Qasim bagged three wickets each. Left-arm spinner Mehran Mumtaz took two wickets for 36 from seven overs.

Earlier, after being put in to bat, the Shaheens totalled an impressive 314 for six in the stipulated overs.

Making three changes to their side in the must-win game, the tourists got off to a great start as openers Imran Butt (64 off 65 balls) and Haseebullah (62 of 77) gave their team a fine 139-run start. After the departure of Haseebullah and Imran in the 24th over, Omair and Rohail Nazir (16 off 24) stitched...