Yasir Shah enjoyed a day straight out of a dream, picking up ten wickets, as Pakistan took control of their second Test against New Zealand on Monday, 26 November.
The leg-spinner waded into the Kiwi batting with figures of 8/41 – the third-best by a Pakistani bowler in Test history – as Pakistan enforced a follow-on upon the visitors on Day 3 at Dubai.
New Zealand, who claimed a dramatic 4-run win in the opening game of the three-match series, now have their task cut out if they wish to carry a lead into the final Test at Abu Dhabi next week.
Beginning the third day on their overnight score of 24/0, Kane Williamson’s side knew they faced a tall order as they responded to Pakistan’s first innings total of 418/5 declared.
The start was promising, as Jeet Raval and Tom Latham took their team to 50 for no loss at the end of 21 overs. But what followed was an hour-and-a-bit of utter chaos, as a hapless Kiwis lost their entire quote of wickets for just 40 runs in the space of 13.5 overs.
Having started the procession with the breakthrough wicket of Raval – bowled in unfortunate fashion attempting a reverse sweep – Shah waited for a brief period before wreaking complete havoc upon the New Zealand line-up to pick his last seven wickets in the span of just 27 balls.
Skipper Williamson cut a helpless figure, remaining unbeaten on 28 as his team contrived to be bowled out for 90 – New Zealand’s lowest total in 19 Tests under his leadership.
Pakistan didn’t hesitate in asking the visitors to bat again, enforcing a follow-on for only the second time in the last 15 years. A more assured display saw New Zealand finish the day on 131/2, still 197 runs shy of making Pakistan bat again in the Test with two days still to play.
Yasir’s Day of Devastation: In Numbers
- 8/41: Third-best figures by a Pakistan bowler in Test history.
- 8/41: Best figures for any bowler in Test matches in UAE, bettering Devendra Bishoo’s 8/49, also in Dubai, in 2016.
- 8/41: Best figures for any bowler against New Zealand in Tests, bettering Goofy Lawrence’s 8/53 for South Africa in 1961.
- 90: New Zealand’s lowest Test score under Kane Williamson, and the lowest by any team against Pakistan in the last five years.
- 6 Ducks: The joint-most in any Test innings, with NZ providing the fifth instance of a team enduring such a low.
- 5: Runs added by NZ numbers 4 to 11 – the lowest in Test history.
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