Flying Kiwis: Openers down as Pakistan still 369 runs behind

KARACHI: In reply to New Zealand’s 403, Pakistan had lost both openers as they finished 34-2 on stumps at day two of the second Test in Dubai.

The visitors’ frontline spin duo, Mark Craig and Ish Sodhi, claimed a wicket apiece by brilliantly exploiting the rough outside the left-handers’ off stump.

Shan Masood was the first to go against Sodhi as he attempted to get to the pitch of the ball but it turned drastically to sneak in through the gate to crash into middle.

Craig then claimed a wicket too after Taufeeq Umar’s long stride forward left him outside the crease, with Bradley-John Watling whipping off the bails to catch Taufeeq’s back-leg on the line.

The day had started off well for Pakistan as Corey Anderson and Tom Latham were both dismissed with New Zealand adding only two runs to their overnight score of 243-3 to make it 245-5. James Neesham was out soon after and the hosts had genuine hopes of dismissing the Kiwis under 300.

But some defiant batting from the lower order took the visitors from 278-6 to a score in excess of 400, with Watling, Craig and Sodhi all impressing with the bat. Watling, who made 39 and displayed quick glove-work to dismiss Taufeeq was happy with his side’s performance in the day. “Obviously after losing two early wickets we had to try and put up a decent total and we managed that, and then their two wickets made it a good day for us," said Watling.

Azhar Ali and Younus Khan will begin day three for Pakistan, on four and one respectively, and will have to bat sensibly, especially with the ball spinning precariously off the rough as Zulfiqar Babar took four and the Kiwi spinners already have two.

Pakistan are still 369 runs behind but it is not yet time to hit the panic button as the hosts were 7-2 in the first innings the last time around they played in Dubai and the same pair went on to score a hundred-run partnership as Pakistan made 454.

 

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