Yousuf Youhana and Saleem Elahi made contrasting centuries as Pakistan followed up their Test series triumph by taking a winning 3-0 lead in the one-dayers.

Youhana hammered eight fours and struck his second six off the final ball of Pakistan's innings to reach 100 not out off 68 deliveries.

Elahi's innings was more sedate and he survived a chance at mid-off on 56 before going on to make 108, his second successive hundred.

Mark Vermeulen gave Zimbabwe an encouraging start with 79, but they fell well short of their target despite the Flower brothers - Andy and Grant - also contributing half centuries.

Comeback

The tourists went into the game with fast bowler Mohammad Zahid making his first appearance for more than four years following a serious back injury.

He was not needed at the outset as home skipper Alistair Campbell opted to field first after winning the toss.

But Zimbabwe's attack lacked penetration and Pakistan had 154 on the board before left-arm spinner Grant Flower finally made the breakthrough when he dismissed Umar for 68.

Youhana's arrival saw the scoring rate increase, however, and Elahi's downfall after hitting 10 boundaries made little difference.

Shahid Afridi was caught second ball off Brent for nought, but Kamran Akmal kept Youhana company over the final six overs as they saw the total past 300.

Youhana was 94 not out as Ervine prepared to send down the last ball and he made no mistake as he lofted a full toss away over mid-wicket to reach three figures.

Early wickets

Zimbabwe could ill afford the early run out of Dion Ebrahim and they suffered a further setback when Zahid added the vital wicket of Campbell for six.

Vermeulen demonstrated promise for the future by hitting 13 fours in his 81-balls innings before falling lbw to Afridi's leg-spin, and it was then down to the Flowers to try to raise the tempo still further.

Andy made 63 and Grant contributed 54 off 56 before a spell of three wickets in two overs by spinner Saqlain Mushtaq finally ended the home side's chances.

Zimbabwe needed 98 off the final eight overs, a task which was well beyond them despite 19 not out by wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu.

Zimbabwe: A D R Campbell (Capt), D D Ebrahim, M A Vermeulen, A Flower, G W Flower, S M Ervine, C N Evans, M L Nkala, G B Brent, T Taibu (Wkt), D T Hondo.

Pakistan: Taufeeq Umar, Saleem Elahi, Yousuf Youhana Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal (Wkt) Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis (Capt), Saqlain Mushtaq, Mohammad Zahid.