Welcome to Sportstar’s LIVE protection from Day 5 of the second Test between Pakistan and New Zealand on the National Stadium, Karachi.
Day 4 report: Pakistan struggling in run chase of 319
Pakistan misplaced two wickets with out scoring in its chase of the 319 profitable goal towards New Zealand on the finish of an eventful fourth day of the second Test on Thursday. New Zealand arrange its bid for a sequence victory in its first Test tour to Pakistan in 20 years after declaring its second innings on 277 for five and utilizing the final three overs of the day to bowl opener Abdullah Shafique and nightwatchman Mir Hamza.
Pakistan was 0 for two at stumps and has to beat its earlier highest profitable chase of 314 runs in 1994 when Australia was crushed by one wicket on the similar National Stadium. On a day when the umpires made misjudgements, New Zealand left little question when captain Tim Southee knocked again Shafique’s off stump off the second ball which saved a bit low and Ish Sodhi clear bowled Hamza for a pair within the match to depart Pakistan in serious trouble.
Tom Blundell (74) and Michael Bracewell (74 not out) firmed up New Zealand with a 127-run stand. Blundell holed out within the deep as New Zealand appeared for fast runs and Southee made a late declaration.
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New Zealand took a 41-run, first-innings lead after dismissing Pakistan for 408, then umpires Alex Wharf and Aleem Dar took middle stage after lunch. New Zealand efficiently overturned Wharf’s two leg earlier than choices in favor of legspinner Abrar Ahmed and Dar erred when his caught behind ruling towards Henry Nicholls (5) was overturned.
Pakistan didn’t go for an lbw referral after Tom Latham (62) hit his second successive half-century when Wharf dominated for the batter and video steered the ball would have hit the leg stump. Blundell additionally efficiently overturned an lbw determination earlier than he scored and was dropped by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed simply earlier than tea.
Sarfaraz additionally dropped Bracewell quickly after he accomplished his half-century and missed a stumping of Daryl Mitchell simply earlier than the New Zealand declaration. Latham and Kane Williamson’s (41) century stand pushed New Zealand forward by 155 runs earlier than Pakistan struck 3 times within the house of 14 runs. Latham was brilliantly snapped up by Abrar, who plucked a low left-handed catch at sq. leg to interrupt a threatening 114-run stand.
Williamson adopted when Abrar lastly had him lbw after twice losing two critiques towards the previous captain earlier than lunch. Hasan Ali, taking part in his first Test since July, picked up his first wicket when Nicholls mistimed a pull shot and was caught at mid-off. Latham dominated the spinners with sweep pictures and hit 11 boundaries. He survived an opportunity simply earlier than his twenty fifth half-century when Babar Azam dropped a tough catch at midwicket.
Earlier, Devon Conway was out for a golden duck earlier than Latham and Williamson guided New Zealand to 76-1 by lunch for an general lead of 117 runs. Left-arm quick bowler Hamza picked up his first Test wicket in 4 years when he had first-innings century-maker Conway clear bowled off the primary ball when it formed into the left-hander and struck the off stump after clipping Conway’s pads. Hamza was wicketless within the drawn first Test final week after being recalled for the primary time since 2018.
Williamson and Latham batted with endurance towards tempo on a pitch which appeared good for batting, with solely the odd ball conserving low and hardly any flip for the spinners. Leg-spinner Sodhi (3-95) wrapped up Pakistan’s first innings within the first over when he had No. 11 Abrar trapped. Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel picked up 3-88. Pakistan misplaced its final 5 wickets for 23 runs.
-AP