Pakistan vs New Zealand: Hosts dominate with tons from Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq

Pakistan bounced back to gain control over the third Test match with hundreds by Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq as they ended their first innings with 348 runs.

Ali struck his 15th Test century, a patient knock of 134 runs from 297 deliveries while Shadow scored a 104 from 259 balls to hand Pakistan the upper hand in the contest.

Their performance with the bat was further aided by quality bowling by debutant Shaheen Shah Afridi and leg-spinner Yasir Shah as they both struck once to leave the visitors at 26/2 at the close of the day’s play in Abu Dhabi.

Barring Ali and Shafiq, no other Pakistani batsman could score even a fifty-which just goes to show how dominant the two were the day.

Also read: Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez calls time on Test career

They had joined forces when Pakistan were struggling at 85/3 and staged a comeback for the hosts with a mammoth 201-run stand that successfully negated the threat posed by the New Zealand bowling.

Their partnership came to an end when Ali offered a straightforward catch to Ajaz Patel at short leg to hand off-spinner William Somerville his maiden Test wicket.

Somerville, making his debut as well, ended the best bowler for his side, with 4 wickets from the 36 overs he bowled, conceding 75 runs in the process.

Patel, who was instrumental in the Kiwis win in the first Test also took two wickets while the veteran speedster Tim Southee had one to his name.

A sharp incoming delivery from Afridi caught New Zealand opener Jeet Raval right in front of the stumps.

Shah now needs just one wicket to become the fastest in Test history to get to 200 wickets and upstage a record set by Australian leggie Clarrie Grimmett who had taken 200 wickets in 36 matches.