Pakistan vs New Zealand, 2018: 3rd Test – Statistical Highlights

New Zealand ended their long wait to defeat Pakistan in an away Test series by clinching the three-match Test series by a 2-1 margin after defeating the hosts by 123 runs in the series-decider. Pakistan, at one stage, were cruising at 286/3 in their first innings in response to New Zealand’s 274. But a collapse infected by the Kiwi spinners saw them collapse to 348.

A record partnership between the centurions Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls rescued the Blackcaps from 60/4. They declared their innings at 353/7 to set a 280-run target for Pakistan in 79 possible overs. Pakistan kept losing wickets straightaway in the chase and were bundled out for just 156 runs after batting 56.1 overs.

All the major stats and numbers recorded during the much-awaited Test series win for New Zealand:

End of a long wait for New Zealand:

5 – This series win is only the fifth for New Zealand in Test cricket in Asia. Their last Test series win in Asia came in 2008 against Bangladesh. This is also only the second away Test series win for New Zealand over Pakistan with the other coming in 1969 in Pakistan.

A good year for non-Asian sides in Asia:

6 – Number of Test wins for non-Asian teams in Asia in 2018; the joint second most. The non-Asian teams won seven Tests in 2004 and six in 2012 in Asia.

Not so pleasing last couple of years for Pakistan:

5 – Pakistan have lost five of their last eight Test matches in UAE in the last two years. In these eight matches, Pakistan won two while drew one.

7 – Pakistan have lost all the ten wickets in an innings on the final day’s play on seven occasions since 2016. In this span, Pakistan have aggregated 1447 runs on the 5th day of a Test for the loss of 84 wickets.

Mixed emotions for Yasir:

29 – Number of wickets Yasir Shah bagged in this Test series; the most by any player in three-match Test series loss. The record was held by Muttiah Muralitharan with 28 wickets in the 2004 home series against Australia.

33 – Yasir Shah became the fastest to 200 wickets in Test cricket taking 33 matches for the milestone. He thus broke the record held by Clarrie Grimmett of Australia in 36 Tests.

The stand that changed the game:

212 – The 212-run partnership between Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls is the first ever double century partnership for the 5th wicket for an away team in their second innings. The away teams had five double century partnerships for the 6th wicket in the second innings but none for the 5th wicket before this game.

The duo’s partnership is also the second best for New Zealand in the second innings of a Test match in Asia. The highest stand in those circumstances of the Kiwis for any wicket is 240 between Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan in the 1998 Colombo Test against Sri Lanka for the 4th wicket.

An on-field partnership:

50 – Tim Southee and BJ Watling became the first bowler-keeper pair from New Zealand to be involved in 50 Test dismissals. Southee and Watling were involved in 52 wickets in this format including two when Watling was a fielder. As many as 19 pairs including the NZ duo were part of 50 Test dismissals.