Pakistan 55/5 in 2nd innings in 3rd test against New Zealand, need 225 runs to win

Speed Post News Network

Patna : Set a victory target of 280, Pakistan were 55/5 after 20.4 overs at lunch in their second innings in the third test against New Zealand at Sheikh Zayeed Stadium, Abhu Dhabi, UAE, on the 5th day of the play on December 7, 2018, with spinner William Somerville, 34, playing his first test taking two wickets off back to back balls. Pakistan need 225 runs to win this test.

Somerville, who had taken 4/75 in Pakistan’s first innings, removed Haris Sohail and first innings centurion Asad Shafiq on  successive balls. Pacer Colin de Grandhomme took the wicket of first innings centurion Azhar Ali, who scored 5. Spinner Ajaj Patel accounted for opener Imam-ul Haq, who scored 22. Tim Southee removed opener Mohammad Hafeez for 8. Hafeez has announced his retirement from international cricket after this test. At lunch Babar Azam was batting on 4 while captain SarfrazAhmed is yet to score.

New Zealand, who were all out for 274 in their first innings, declared their second innings at 353/7 in the first session of the play on December 7. Resuming at their overnight score of 272/4, New Zealand lost their captain Kane Williamson for 139, his overnight score, while Colin de Grandhomme scored 26 with 2 fours and 2 sixes. Wicketkeeper B J Watling, who had scored an unbeaten 77 in the first innings, fell for a duck. Henry Nicholls, 27, remained not out on 126 in 266 balls with 12 fours, his third test ton. For Pakistan, spinner Yasir Shah, who had taken three wickets in New Zealand’s first innings, took 4/129 in the second.