Pakistan end the day at 76/5 - 195 runs behind New Zealand's first-innings total of 271.

By Abdullah Ansari (26th November, 2016)

Toss: Pakistan won the toss, Azhar Ali opted to bowl first.

Teams

New Zealand: TWM Latham, JA Raval, KS Williamson (c), LPRL Taylor, HM Nicholls, C de Grandhomme, BJ Watling (wk), MJ Santner, TG Southee, MJ Henry, N Wagner.

Pakistan: Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Amir, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Imran Khan.

The Pakistan bowlers started off the day in a much better manner than they began the previous one, bowling good lines and consistent length to make life tough for the batsmen. Sohail had Taylor caught behind in his 4th over with one that seamed in sharply. A few overs later, Raval got his second reprieve of the innings with Amir once again the bowler, Sami dropping a simple chance in the slips. The opener got to a fifty but soon fell as Imran came around the wicket and induced an edge, with Rizwan (who replaced Sami) taking a good catch in the slips. Soon there after, Nicholls also fell as he nicked a full delivery by Wahab to Sarfraz as the left-armer got the ball to seam away a tad. Man of the match from the 1st Test, de Grandhomme, was circumspect at the start but counter-attacked towards the end of the session as he built a 50-run partnership with Watling.

The first ball after Lunch saw Imran strike again as he made de Grandhomme drive a full delivery which he edged through to Sarfraz. Santner frustrated the bowlers with a few delicate boundaries to third man while Watling was solid at the other end. Sohail returned to get his third wicket as he got Santner to nick one with Younis grabbing a good, low catch. Southee began slowly but then took Sohail for a six and two fours in trademark fashion. Sohail had the last laugh in his next over as he bowled a good slower ball which Southee tried to send out off the park, only to see his bails disturbed. Henry came out swinging, hitting a few fours before Tea as the New Zealand tail continued to wag, frustrating Pakistan.

Amir struck in his first over after Tea with the second new ball as Henry tried to clear mid-off but could only find Sohail who took a good catch. Imran finished off the innings in his next over as Wagner edged one with Younis at second slip taking another good catch as New Zealand ended at 271.

Pakistan's innings got off to another disappointing start as Sami edged one to Raval at slip in the 5th over. Azhar followed suit on the last ball of the over, feeling for one outside off and nicking it through to Watling with Southee the beneficiary. A few overs later, it was Younis who went for an extravagant drive and edged behind, giving Southee his third wicket. Babar was solid amongst the carnage while Shafiq came out to bat with a positive frame of mind, going after the bad deliveries as Pakistan looked to put the pressure back on New Zealand. Raval dropped one off Shafiq in the slips. However, Shafiq went for a big drive off Wagner and perished, inside edging it onto his stumps. Rizwan bagged a golden duck as he went after a first ball bouncer from Wagner, sending it straight down Henry's throat at fine-leg. Babar was solid through to the end, aided by Sarfraz as Pakistan finished at 76/5, 195 runs behind New Zealand's total.

Summary: Same old story for Pakistan. Another day, another batting collapse. They started off the day strongly with the bowlers putting in much better shifts and bowling good lengths to put the New Zealand batsmen under pressure. At 170/6, Pakistan would have hoped to wrap up the NZ innings quickly but the last four partnerships frustrated the bowlers, putting on just over a hundred runs. The bowlers were partly at fault for that withsome loose bowling at times. However, restricting NZ to under 300 meant that Pakistan had a chance if they batted well - it wasn't to be. The openers were unusually loose outside off-stump while Younis again perished to a big drive. Shafiq looked good but went after one without moving his feet while Rizwan simply had a rush of blood. Babar stood head and shoulders above the rest and any hopes of Pakistan coming back into this match rest on his and Sarfraz's shoulders.

Fall of wickets:

3-90 (Taylor, 25.1 ov)
4-113 (Raval, 37.1 ov)
5-119 (Nicholls, 40.4 ov)
6-170 (de Grandhomme, 55.1 ov)
7-203 (Santner, 67.3 ov)
8-239 (Southee, 75.6 ov)
9-270 (Henry, 82.1 ov)
10-271 (Wagner, 83.4 ov)

1-7 (Sami Aslam, 4.1 ov)
2-8 (Azhar Ali, 4.6 ov)
3-12 (Younis Khan, 8.5 ov)
4-51 (Asad Shafiq, 21.1 ov)
5-51 (Mohammad Rizwan, 21.2 ov)

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