Dubai: Younis Khan and Azhar Ali stood out with half-centuries but Pakistan were still up against it in the battle for first innings lead against New Zealand on the third day of the second Test at the Dubai International Stadium.
Pakistan still trail by 122 runs with only four wickets in hand — toiling for runs against some disciplined bowling on a slow wicket.
The in-form Younis and Azhar put on 113 runs for the third wicket, followed by a 50-run partnership between skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (28) and Azhar for the fourth wicket. Asad Shafiq (44) and Sarfraz Ahmad, unbeaten on 28, added another 59 runs for the sixth wicket.
Azhar’s 75 runs came off 225 balls with six fours and a six while Younis’s 72 off 160 balls contained seven boundaries and two sixes.
Pakistan started the day from a shaky 34 for two with Younis and Azhar gaining control slowly but steadily. Younis’ first boundary of the day, which came off the last ball of the second over of the day from Trent Boult, revealed his confidence. Leaning into the delivery, the veteran punched through the covers assessing the length of the delivery very early.
For Younis, who has hit a double hundred and three centuries in his previous three Tests, shots came freely despite New Zealand spinners producing some really good deliveries. When Corey Anderson was introduced, Younis hit his first delivery to the boundary picking the gap in the covers elegantly.
Azhar’s first aggressive shot too came off Anderson when he punched him through the covers for his first boundary. He also picked another four in the same over. Younis fearlessly stepped out and hit Mark Craig for a six into the empty stands. With no crowd to watch the match, retrieving the ball took a long time.
He again hit Craig for another six to mid-wicket. When Ish Sodhi, who bowled a tight length, was also hit by Azhar through the covers with ease, it looked like New Zealand were losing control.
Younis raced to his 29th half-century by coming down the wicket and smashing the ball over the covers for a boundary. Pakistan went in for a comfortable lunch, scoring 84 runs in the 31 overs without losing a wicket.
Younis and Azhar took full control after lunch punishing any loose deliveries with power and timing. The lead got reduced to 258 runs when Younis lost his concentration to medium pacer James Neesham. He played an unbelievably poor shot in the air to a short and wide delivery into the hands of Craig at cover.
Misbah began by hitting Sodhi through mid-wicket for a boundary and even slog swept Craig for a six. Azhar reached his 18th Test fifty just before tea with Pakistan still needing 221 runs to gain a lead.
Azhar hit his first six off Craig over long on. With the score on 194 for three, the second new ball was taken and pacer Tim Southee bowled his heart out — giving away just 27 runs from his 15 overs. Boult who bowled a good line and length got his reward with the third ball of his first over with the new ball. He made Misbah play into the hands of Ross Taylor at first slip for 28.
Asad Shafiq survived a confident appeal for leg before through a review. He soon hit Boult for two boundaries in one over. When it looked like Azhar may get to his century, at his score on 75 he played off the back foot to a Sodhi delivery, which hurried through his pads to hit his stumps. Shafiq on 21 got clean bowled to a Boult delivery that he left alone but luckily for him it turned out to be a no ball.
