Pakistan on brink of first Test win against New Zealand

Pakistan produced another ruthless performance to move to the  brink of victory in the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

A ninth wicket stand of 36 in 14.5 overs between Mark Craig (27) and Ish Sodhi (27) delayed Pakistan's victory on the fourth day at Sheikh Zayed Stadium but New Zealand were struggling on 174-8 after being set a daunting target of 480.

Pakistan need just two wickets on the final day for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series while New Zealand still need 306 for an unlikely win on the fifth and final day.

Spinners Zulfiqar Babar (2-30) and Yasir Shah (2-49) and seamer Rahat Ali (2-38) destroyed the New Zealand batting.

Earlier Mohammad Hafeez hit an unbeaten 101 to help Pakistan declare their second innings on 175-2 before the bowlers took over and skittled the Kiwi batsmen.

It was a weak batting display by New Zealand who promised a lot before the Test but only Brendon McCullum (39), Corey Anderson (23) and Kane Williamson (23) offered little resistance.

Sodhi said it was disappointing to bat like New Zealand did.

"We are disappointed with the way things have turned out. We cannot win from this position, but we will surely try and make things difficult for them tomorrow," said Sodhi.

Hafeez reached his sixth Test hundred, with a couple off McCullum. In all he hit two sixes and 12 boundaries during his 130-ball knock.

It was Hafeez's first century since his 196 against Sri Lanka in July 2012.

Hafeez said he was satisfied with his hundred.

"It's pleasing to hit a century and more so because it has come after a gap, but I am sure it will help lift my confidence in this format," said Hafeez.

The remaining two Tests will be played in Dubai (November 17-21) and Sharjah (November 26-30).

Tea

New Zealand were staring at a comprehensive defeat in the first Test after Pakistan set them an improbable victory target before wrecking their top order on the penultimate day of the contest in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

After their first innings run-feast of 566-3, Pakistan declared their second innings on 175-2 to set New Zealand a nominal 480-run victory target in the first match of the three-test series.

New Zealand openers Brendon McCullum (39) and Tom Latham (20) made a bright start before Pakistani spinners Yasir Shah (2-15) and Zulfiqar Babar (1-10) struck to reduce the tourists to 69-3 at tea.

Kane Williamson was yet to open his account when leg-spinner Yasir dismissed Ross Taylor and tea was called with New Zealand needing to bat out four more sessions to force a draw with seven wickets in hand.

Earlier, Pakistan declared their second stint in the middle as soon as opener Mohammad Hafeez (101 not out) brought up his sixth test century.

This was the fifth successive occasion when Pakistan declared their innings, underlining their new-found batting  depth on the slow, turning pitches in the United Arab Emirates.

Hafeez, who fell four runs short of his hundred in the first innings, made amends in the second and celebrated the landmark by kissing the turf.

His unbeaten 130-ball knock included 12 fours and two sixes in it.

Younis Khan (28), who has recorded three centuries and a double ton in his last five innings, was trapped leg before by spinner Ish Sodhi, who had earlier dismissed Azhar Ali (23) in similar fashion.

Lunch

Hafeez hit another half century to stretch Pakistan's lead to 431 runs at lunch Wednesday on the fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand.

Pakistan, which didn't enforce the follow-on and took a 304-run first-innings lead, looked for quick runs with Hafeez smashing 10 boundaries and a six in his unbeaten 72 as Pakistan reached 127-1 at the interval.

Younis Khan successfully used the DRS to overturn an lbw decision against him off legspinner Ish Sodhi's last ball before lunch. He was not out on 26.

Sodhi got the only breakthrough when he dismissed makeshift opener Azhar Ali (23), who was standing in for Ahmed Shehzad. 

Shehzad fractured his skull in the first innings and was ruled out of the remainder of the three-Test series.

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