Southpaw Saud Shakeel hit a first century on Wednesday before New Zealand hit back to hold Pakistan 407-9 at the end of the third day of the second Test in Karachi. Shakeel was unbeaten on 124 and Abrar Ahmed was yet to score after New Zealand took four wickets in the final session for 70 runs, leaving the hosts 42 runs short of the tourists’ first innings tally of 449. Shakeel has kept his end intact for 488 minutes — batting all day on Wednesday and adding 83 for the fourth wicket with Imam-ul-Haq (83) and 150 for the fifth with Sarfaraz Ahmed (78).
But New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel dismissed Agha Salman (41) and Hasan Ali (four) as Pakistan fell from 385-5 to 397-9, losing four wickets for just 12 runs off 27 balls. Legspinner Ish Sodhi took two wickets in as many balls, dismissed Naseem Shah for four and Mir Hamza without scoring before last man Ahmed saw the day.
Shakeel, who has hit 17 bounds, was lucky enough to get a life from pacer Tim Southee when Tom Latham made a simple catch at short cover when the batter was on 102. With wickets falling at the other end, Shakeel went into a shell and scored just 23 runs in the final session.
He completed his century before tea when he swept spinner Michael Bracewell for a boundary and then took a crisp single to reach three figures in 319 minutes of stoic at bat.
Sarfaraz was on 78 in the penultimate over before the break, having scored his third consecutive half century of the series. Shakeel said he was delighted to score a hundred on his home ground.
“It was also great to have Sarfaraz next to me because he gave me confidence when I was in my 90s,” he said. New Zealand wicket-keeper Tom Blundell believed the wicket was still good for batting.
“We have to get the last wicket (Thursday) and then I think we have to reassess because Pakistan are a good batting side, so probably need a big total.”
Earlier, Haq was caught by Blundell from fast-bowler Southee after Pakistan resumed at 154-3. On 74 at night, Haq rebuilt the innings after being involved in skipper Babar Azam’s run-out on Tuesday, but fell in the second hour of the session.
He drove a ride to Blundell but was only released after New Zealand challenged the rejected appeal. Haq hit 10 boundaries and a six in his 244-minute run. The two-match series is tied after the first Test – also in Karachi – ended in a draw.
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