Speed Post News Network
Patna : Set a target of 373 runs, Pakistan were 71/3 in 38 overs in their second innings at stumps on Day 4 in the 1st test against New Zealand (NZ) at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, NZ, on December 29, 2020, with Fawad Alam unbeaten on 21 in 55 balls hitting 4 fours while Azhar Ali was batting on 34 in 117 balls with 3 fours. Pakistan still need to score 302 runs to win this match on Day 5 with 7 wickets in hand. NZ had scored 431 runs in their first innings while Pakistan had scored 239 run in their first innings.
Chasing a huge target, Pakistan made a disastrous start losing their first two wickets that of openers Shan Masood and Abid Ali without any run on board. Abid Ali fell to fast medium bowler Trent Boult for zero making it 0/1. Shan Masood fell to medium fast bowler Tim Southee for zero making it 0/2 before tea. Haris Sohail also fell to Southee for 9 and it was 37/3. It was Southee’s 300th test wicket and he was congratulated by his teammates.
Earlier starting the first session of the play on Day 4 with a handy first innings leads of 192 runs, NZ scored at a brisk pace and declared their 2nd innings at 180/5 30 minutes before tea with both their openers : Tom Latham and Tom Blundell, scoring fifty plus runs and added 111 runs for the first wicket.
Blundell fell to fast bowler Naseem Shah for 64 in 107 balls with 7 fours and it was 111/1. Tom Latham fell to medium fast bowler Mohd Abbas for 53 in 112 balls with 3 fours making it 139/2. Captain Kane Williamson, who had scored 129 in first innings, fell to Naseem Shah for 21 in 33 balls with 2 fours and it was 147/3.
Henry Nicholls also fell to Naseem Shah for 11 and it was 165/4. B J Watling (wk) was run out for 5 making it 170/5. Ross Taylor remained unbeaten on 12 while spinner Mitchell Santner remained 6 not out. Naseem Shah took 3/55.