Pakistani bowlers demolish Zimbabwe first innings

Pakistan could not start their innings as bad light stopped play 16 minutes before the scheduled end.

Waqar took four early wickets in a burst of 25 balls to put Zimbabwe in deep trouble at 29-4. Saqlain, who lost his father on Sunday to liver cancer, achieved a career best 5-32 to wipe out the middle and tail.

Left-hander Andrew Flower remained not out with a patient and fighting 60.

The home team adopted aggressive tactics to seize the initiative in a bid to level the series but suffered an early setback when captain Aamir Sohail pulled out.

The stated reason was a severe headache and fever but sources suggested he walked out following a row with selectors.

Sohail's performance has been under scrutiny after losing a series to Australia and after Pakistan's seven-wicket humiliation against Zimbabwe in the first Test.

He has exchanged hot words with selector Salahuddin as he did not favour the inclusion of veteran batsman Salim Malik. Sohail also argued with coach Javed Miandad during practice on Wednesday.

Wicketkeeper Moin Khan, who replaced Sohail as skipper, won the crucial toss and sent Zimbabwe in on a grassy pitch.

Waqar struck with the first ball of his second over, dismissing Gavin Rennie caught in the slips for three.

Murray Goodwin was next to go with his score on 10 and the team's on 16, edging an outswinger from Waqar to keeper Moin.

Skipper Alistair Campbell started with a boundary but could not keep a short-pitched ball from Waqar down and was caught at forward short leg by Yousuf Yohanna for five.

Waqar then trapped opener Grant Flower lbw for seven to put Zimbabwe in grave trouble at 29-4. He took 4-18 in his devastating first spell of eight overs.

Neil Johnson, who made a match=3Dwinning 107 in the Peshawar Test, gave a return catch to Shoaib Akhter after making just 14 and at lunch Zimbabwe were reeling on 68-5.

Andrew Flower and Craig Wishart put their heads down and took Zimbabwe past the 100 mark in the 37th over. But Saqlain dismissed Wishart (28), Heath Streak (19) and Henry Olonga (3) off 35 balls to reduce Zimbabwe to 140-8.

In his second spell Saqlain mopped up the tail to finish with 5-32 in 13.5 overs, beating his previous best of 5-54 against West Indies in Karachi last year.

Andrew Flower remained unbeaten on 60, compiled in 260 minutes.

``Its a good beginning for me because we won the crucial toss and hopefully our batsmen will give us a good total to force the needed win,'' Moin said=2E

Pakistan made five changes from the team that lost the first Test. In addition to Sohail, Aaqib Javed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Azhar Mahmood and Inzamam-ul-Haq were dropped.

Salim Malik is playing his 100th Test, second among Pakistani players only to Javed Miandad (124) to achieve the milestone.

Mohammad Naveed from Rawalpindi was given his Test cap while teenager Hasan Raza, paceman Shoaib Akhter and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq were also included.

Zimbabwe brought in leg spinner Adam Huckle in place of Andrew Whittall