Pakistan vs New Zealand 2nd Test Day 3: Pakistan trail by 122 runs

Younis Khan and Azhar Ali featured in a century-plus stand to prop up Pakistan but New Zealand claimed three wickets in the final session to stay ahead in the second Test in Dubai on Wednesday.

Resuming on 34 for two, Pakistan enjoyed a smooth morning session but lost Younis (72) after lunch and Azhar (75) and two other batsmen after tea to finish day two on 281 for six.

Sarfraz Ahmed (28) and Yasir Shah (one) were in the middle at stumps with Pakistan, who lead the three-match series 1-0, still trailing New Zealand by 122 runs with four wickets in hand.

After cheaply removing Pakistan's openers late on Tuesday, New Zealand needed early wickets to take the upper hand but were thwarted by Younis and Azhar, who negotiated pace bowlers with aplomb and used their feet effectively against spinners.

Younis, who turns 37 later this month, was the more aggressive of the two, hitting off-spinner Mark Craig for two sixes - one over long on and the other over midwicket.

The right-hander hit the spinner for his sixth boundary to bring up his 29th Test fifty in the final over before the break.

After dominating his 113-run third wicket stand with Azhar, Younis was dismissed by Jimmy Neesham, having extended the red hot form that had produced three centuries and a double hundred in his last six test innings.

Azhar took three runs off a Craig delivery to register his 18th Test fifty in 150 balls and provided a glimpse of his aggression when he stepped out to hit Craig over long off for a six.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq (28) also looked solid at the other end until he edged a Trent Boult delivery to slip.

Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi ended Azhar's 322-minute vigil with a delivery that brushed the batsman's pad before hitting the stumps.

Boult bowled Asad Shafiq with an incoming delivery after the batsman offered no shot but, much to Pakistan's relief, TV replays showed the bowler had overstepped.

Shafiq, then on 21, could not make the most of it though and edged a Tim Southee delivery to Ross Taylor in the slip to depart on 44 in the penultimate over of the day.

Lunch: In-form batsman Younis Khan hit a solid half-century to help Pakistan reach 118-2 at lunch on the third day of the second Test in Dubai on Wednesday.

Younis hit New Zealand off-spinner Mark Craig for his fifth boundary to complete his 29th Test half-century to once again anchor Pakistan's batting after they resumed the day at 34-2.

Pakistan are chasing New Zealand's first innings total of 403.

At the interval Azhar Ali was 35 not out and Younis on 53 as the pair continued to repair the innings during their third wicket stand of 86 after Pakistan lost both the openers for just 32 runs.

Younis hit five boundaries and two big sixes, both off Craig, to continue his good form, which saw him hit a hundred in the first Test in Abu Dhabi.

He also amassed 468 runs in the 2-0 white-wash of Australia in the preceding series, also played in UAE.

Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test by 248 runs.

Ali had hit four boundaries during his 105-ball knock.

New Zealand spinners Ish Sodhi and Craig took a wicket apiece.

 

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