Pakistan were under pressure after losing both their openers for 34 in reply to New Zealand’s big total of 403 in the second Test in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, yesterday.
Azhar Ali (4) and Younis Khan (1) were unbeaten at the close on the second day after Shan Masood (13) and Taufeeq Umar (16) departed early to give New Zealand the edge for the first time in the series.
Pakistan still need 170 more runs to avoid the follow-on with eight wickets intact.
Photo: AFP
Pakistan’s new opening pair, after Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez were ruled out due to injuries, flopped as Masood played over a sharp turning delivery from Ish Sodhi and was bowled between the gap.
Umar, playing his first Test in two years, was stumped when he was beaten by off-spinner Mark Craig.
That capped a good day for New Zealand, who added 260 runs in their first innings.
Besides opener Tom Latham’s brilliant 137, New Zealand owed their total to tail-enders who added 125 runs for the last four wickets after they had seemingly squandered a chance to post a big total at 278-6.
Mark Craig (43), B.J. Watling (39) and Ish Sodhi (32 not out) fought hard to ensure New Zealand got past the 400-mark, a total which could put an in-form Pakistan batting lineup under pressure.
Left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar was the pick of bowlers with four for 137, while leg-spinner Yasir Shah finished with two for 92 and seamer Ehsan Adil two for 73.
Watling and Craig added 68 for the seventh wicket in the post-lunch session to leave the Pakistan bowlers frustrated on an unresponsive pitch.
It was left to part-timer Azhar Ali to break the stand when he had Watling caught in the slips and then two runs later Babar trapped Craig leg before wicket to leave New Zealand on 348-8.
Sodhi and Tim Southee (17) added a further 39 for the ninth wicket and Sodhi lofted Babar for a six to post the 400.
Babar, though, had the last laugh, dismissing No. 11 Trent Boult to wrap up the innings.
Earlier, resuming on a strong 243-3, New Zealand lost both their overnight batsmen Corey Anderson and Tom Latham in the space of two runs in the first three overs of the day.
Adil had Anderson (9) caught in the covers, before Latham fell in the next over as he edged a ball from Rahat Ali to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed.
Latham failed to add to his overnight score of 137.
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