Last Update: January 06, 2023, 00:08 AM IST
Abdullah Shafiq of Pakistan reacts after being dismissed by Tim Southee of New Zealand during the fourth day of the 2nd Test cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Farid Khan)
At the end of Day 4, a stunned Imam-ul-Haq was at the crease without scoring and the home side needed 319 runs to win, or eight wickets in hand for a draw.
Pakistan got off to a disastrous start on Thursday, losing two wickets without scoring after New Zealand were set a daring target of 319 to win the second Test in Karachi.
Captain Tim Southee dismissed opener Abdullah Shafiq on the second ball of Pakistan’s second innings before Ish Sodhi bowled nightwatchman Mir Hamza in the last over of the fourth day.
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At the close, a stunned Imam-ul-Haq was at the crease without scoring and the home team needed 319 runs to win, or eight wickets in hand for a draw.
The defeat at home would be their third series defeat after losing 1-0 to Australia and 3-0 to England earlier this year.
No team has chased more than 314 to win a Test in Pakistan, which the home team achieved against Australia in Karachi in 1994.
New Zealand declared their second innings ten minutes before closing on 277–5, when Michael Bracewell made a career-best 74 and Tom Blundell made 74 – the pair sharing a 127-run partnership for the fifth wicket .
Bracewell, however, still feels that the match can go either way.
“Obviously scoring 319 on the last day is a tough task, but the wicket hasn’t deteriorated too much, so I think it’s still very much in balance,” he said.
“The first hour (tomorrow) will go a long way in winning the match for either side.”
Pakistan had taken control of the match, with New Zealand struggling from 76–1 to 128–4 at lunch, removing Tom Latham (62), Kane Williamson (41) and Henry Nicholls (five).
But Blundell was dropped for 21 by wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed off-spinner Abrar Ahmed, hitting seven fours and a six before the home team was dismissed by Agha Salman.
Bracewell, whose previous best of 49 was against England earlier this year, was also dropped by Sarfaraz on 59 off Salman.
In the post-lunch session, New Zealand lost three wickets in 50 balls and 14 runs.
Abrar Ahmed caught Latham smartly at short midwicket off fast bowler Naseem Shah.
With the total on 114, Ahmed trapped Williamson lbw in the next over. Hasan Ali soon caught Nicholls as New Zealand lost three wickets for 14 runs off 50 balls.
It was a dreadful day for on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Aleem Dar as three of their decisions were overturned.
New Zealand suffered a blow in the second over of their innings when Conway was bowled by Mir Hamza on his first ball.
It was the first time that Conway had been dismissed without scoring in his 12-match Test career.
Pakistan wasted two leg-before referrals on Williamson when the batsman was on seven and nine, while Latham overturned a 36-run decision against him – all off the bowling of Ahmed.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan were bowled out for 408 after adding just one run to their overnight score, in reply to New Zealand’s first innings 449.
Spinner Ish Sodhi trapped the last man Ahmed leg before zero, leaving centurion Saud Shakeel stranded at the other end.
Shakeel remained unbeaten on 125 after being at the crease for 493 minutes, hitting 17 fours in his maiden century.
Spinner Ejaz Patel finished with 3-88 and Sodhi 3-95.
The first of the two-match series – also in Karachi – ended in a draw.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)