Pakistan needed another 229 runs with nine wickets in hand from the last two sessions of Day Five of the second Test at Dubai to win the three-match Test series against New Zealand. The hosts reached 32 for one at lunch and Azhar Ali and Shan Masood were at the crease. Taufeeq Umar was the lone casualty in Pakistan’s second innings. Tim Southee took his wicket. Earlier New Zealand declared their innings at 250 for nine, they had a lead of 260 runs on the board.
New Zealand started the day well and maintained a good run rate from beginning. Both overnight batsmen Ross Taylor and Mark Craig were attacking the Pakistan bowlers. On the course of this innings, Ross Taylor reached his 12th Test hundred and helped New Zealand’s lead to get past 200 mark. In this innings Taylor has shown time and again that he can play shots at his will consistently. Which is why it is such a surprise that he has not done well in Tests in Asia. Taylor’s overall Test record is impressive without being truly great in sub-continent. This innings will now be as one of his great and influential knocks in this part of the World.
After Taylor and Mark got out in the same over, Tim Southee finished the innings with a flourish. He hit Babar for three sixes in an over and took the New Zealand score to 250. When he lost his wicket, Brendon McCullum did not waste any time and declared.
Pakistan are 1-0 up in the series and they will not be in a hurry, the onus will be on New Zealand to make the right moves and force result out of this Test match. Pakistan Leg spinner Yasir Shah got his first five-for in Test cricket. In the 64th over in New Zealand’s second innings he took the wickets of Mark Craig and Ross Taylor. By doing this he got to his maiden five wicket haul (five for 79). Zulfiqar Babar also took four for 96.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 403 (Tom Latham 137, Brendon McCullum 43; Ehsan Adil 2 for 69, Yasir Shah 2 for 89) & 250 for 9 decl. (Brendon McCullum 41, Ross Taylor 102 ; Zulfiqar Babar 4 for 96, Yasir Shah 5 for 79) lead Pakistan 393 (Sarfraz Ahmed 112, Azhar Ali 75, Younis Khan 72; Tim Southee 3 for 67, Trent Boult 2 for 69) & 32 for one (Azhar Ali 13*; Tim Southee 1 for 5) by 228 runs.
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