PAK vs NZ: Trouble looms over Pakistan as New Zealand tighten grip on Karachi Test

Tim Southee declared the innings and set a 319-run target for Pakistan to chase.

By Vaishnavi Thiagarajan Iyer

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Ish Sodhi
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Ish Sodhi. (Photo Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)

After closing the third day on 407/9, Pakistan batters Saud Shakeel and Abrar Ahmed could not take the game long at the start of the fourth day, as Ish Sodhi picked up a wicket in the first over to put an end to their innings. As a result, Pakistan ended their innings scoring 408 runs as New Zealand took charge with the bat very early on day four.

The visitors started their second innings as Tom Latham and Devon Conway walked out to bat but they suffered an early blow when the latter was knocked over by Mir Hamza in just the second over. Conway was dismissed for a golden duck as Hamza provided the hosts with a dream start. Latham and Kane Williamson took the game forward. Pakistan lost two reviews within 12 overs as Williamson survived a couple of scares.

The duo continued even after lunch and added a composed 109-run stand for the second wicket, and Latham got to his half-century in the process. It was then in the 35th over that Naseem Shah got the crucial breakthrough when he dismissed Latham. Williamson walked back in the very next over as Pakistan’s review proved to be successful this time around, and Abrar Ahmed got a wicket to his name.

Hasan Ali then picked up Henry Nicholls’ wicket, who walked back scoring mere five runs off 21 deliveries. New Zealand lost momentum as the Pakistani bowlers dominated the show in the second session. The partnership between Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell for the fifth wicket proved to be very crucial for the visitors, as the duo shared a 127-run stand.

While Blundell brought up a half-century, Bracewell too was quick and scored his maiden Test fifty, achieving the feat by hitting two consecutive fours. The duo put up a show when they hit Abrar Ahmed for 15 runs in the 79th over, but Agha Salman struck on the very first delivery of the next over and sent Blundell packing. Just two overs later, New Zealand skipper Tim Southee decided to declare the innings as the visitors posted a target of 319 runs for Pakistan to chase.

Pakistan batters make mistakes under pressure

It was a gutsy decision, but Southee struck in the very first over and dismissed Pakistani opener Abdullah Shafique on just the second ball of the final innings to hand the hosts a major blow. Pakistan sent their night-watchman Mir Hamza towards the end of the day’s play, but Ish Sodhi struck to add to Pakistan’s misery.

As a result, New Zealand ended on a high note as they restricted Pakistan from scoring any runs on the fourth day. The hosts lost two wickets without adding a single run as Shafique and Hamza were dismissed for a duck. Pakistan will resume their innings tomorrow, on the final day, with eight wickets in hand, and a target of 319 runs to win.

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Pakistan vs New Zealand 2024New ZealandPakistanMichael BracewellTom BlundellIsh SodhiTom LathamTim Southee