Outplayed: Pakistan Boulted as Kiwis leave their Mark

Visitors win by innings and 80 runs to level the series

KARACHI: New Zealand’s stunning all-round display helped them level the three match series 1-1 as they defeated Pakistan by an innings and 80 runs on day four of the third and final Test of the series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Pakistan resumed their second innings with a deficit of 339 runs and were jolted by pacer Trent Boult’s early triple strike, which reduced them to 24-3 with Shan Masood dismissed on four, Azhar Ali on six and Younus Khan on a golden duck as he swung the ball into the right-hander and away from the left-hander with deadly effect.

The centurion of the first innings, Muhammad Hafeez, was playing well until he chipped one back to Mark Craig for the easiest of catches on 24.

And when skipper Misbahul Haq was dismissed on 12 by Craig, half of the Pakistani side was back in the hut with only 63 on the scoreboard.

With the result a foregone conclusion, Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed decided to counterattack and put on a 73-run stand for the sixth wicket. But Sarfraz’s 37-run cameo was ended by leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.

Stranded with the tail, Shafiq went more on the offensive in an attempt to give some sort of respectability to the looming defeat. He continued losing partners but kept the scoreboard ticking and brought up his fifth Test century with a four and a six.

His century helped Pakistan equal their record for the most number of centuries in a calendar year with their tally of 20 matching the one in 2006. However, that was the only silver lining of an overall dismal batting display.

The hosts were ultimately bowled out for 259 as Shafiq ended with a career best 137 off 148 balls. Boult claimed four wickets while Craig took three to make it 10 for the match.

It was also the first time in 18 years that New Zealand claimed an away win over Pakistan, having done so last in 1996 in Lahore. The Kiwis have only defeated Pakistan away thrice, with the third win coming in 1969, also in Lahore.

New Zealand had resumed the day on 637-8 and added 53 runs to their overnight total before getting all out for 690, with their total tally of 22 sixes being the highest in any Test innings.

Pakistan had finished day one firmly on top at 281-3 but collapsed after that and Misbah conceded that his team was unable to concentrate after the tragic news of Phillip Hughes’ demise. "After starting very well during the first day, whatever happened in the second day that was really difficult to concentrate,” he said. “I was struggling to concentrate, it was really difficult to bat on and carry on.”

Winning captain McCullum, whose double century snatched all momentum away from the hosts also expressed similar sentiments. “It was definitely, really tough circumstances to play the Test," he said. “Our thoughts were elsewhere. Proud of the guys for sticking together.”

Mark Craig’s 65 with the bat and 10-wicket haul helped him win the man of the match, while Muhammad Hafeez’s all-round performances in the first and third Tests won him the man of the series award.

The result means that Pakistan have slipped to fourth in the ICC Test rankings, with England replacing them in third.

 

 

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