KARACHI: Saud Shakeel put up a brave fightback with a solid century knock to halt New Zealand from bundling out the hosts in the second Test as Pakistan reached 407/9 at the conclusion of the third day, here at National Bank Cricket Arena.
Starting from an overnight score of 154/3, Pakistan added 253 runs to the total and lost six wickets throughout the day, with Saud and Sarfaraz Ahmed punching an astounding partnership of 150 runs before New Zealand made a comeback in the game.
Dependable Saud raised his maiden Test hundred after scoring five fifties in the first four matches of his Test career as he remained unbeaten on 124 at the close of the day’s play with tailender Abrar Ahmed on the other end.
Sarfaraz Ahmed and Saud dominated Kiwi bowlers after Pakistan were reduced to 182/4 with Imam-ul-Haq’s dismissal in the morning session.
Resuming a promising knock of 74 not out from the previous day, Imam was struck by misfortune when a faint edge off Southee’s bowling ceased his stay on 83 with New Zealand confidently reviewing the umpire’s original decision.
New Zealand claimed the second breakthrough of the day only after a frustrating afternoon session, during which they conceded 113 runs when a tight stumping dismissal ended Sarfaraz’s plucky knock on 78.
Sarfaraz’s heel was adjudged not on the ground despite his shoes being inside the crease when wicket-keeper Tom Blundell removed the bails off Mitchell’s legside ball. The wicketkeeper batter made his third consecutive fifty since his comeback to the team after four years.
Kiwi spinners then ran through the lower order to avert Pakistan from closing in on New Zealand’s first-inning total of 449 as Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel bagged two wickets each in the final session after Saud and Salman Ali Agha lingered for a while and added 53 runs for the sixth wickets.
After sailing comfortably to 385 for the loss of five wickets, Pakistan’s batting jittered with less than an hour left to play as they lost four wickets for the addition of mere 12 runs.
Salman was caught at slips, after scoring 41 from 78 runs, off Patel, who then went on to hunt Hasan Ali in his next over.
Ish Sodhi, then struck two wickets in two balls as he removed Naseem Shah and Mir Hamza to push Pakistan on the back foot, again.
At stumps, Pakistan still ran a deficit of 42 runs with only one wicket to spare.
