DUBAI – Leg-spinner Yasir Shah wrecked New Zealand with a career besteight wicket haul as Pakistan sniffed victory on the third day of thesecond Test in Dubai on Monday.
The 32-year-old grabbed 8-41 in 12.3 overs which annihilated New Zealand to90 all out in just 35.3 overs before taking two more wickets as New Zealand– following on — were 131-2 at close in their second innings.
Yasir dismissed opener Jeet Raval for two before accounting for New Zealandskipper Kane Williamson caught behind for 30 to complete his thirdten-wicket haul in the match.
Tom Latham (44) and Ross Taylor (49) were at the crease at close as NewZealand need another 197 runs to avoid an innings defeat while Pakistan canlevel the series by taking another eight wickets with two days to play.
New Zealand won the first Test in Abu Dhabi by four runs last week to gaina 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Taylor has hit six boundaries and a six in his return-to-form innings whileLatham has hit three boundaries as the two have added 65 for the unbrokenthird wicket stand to take the fight to the Pakistan bowlers.
But the day belonged to Yasir, who rocked New Zealand in the first innings.
He also became the first Pakistani to take ten wickets in a single day,ninth in the world with England s left-arm spinner Johnny Briggs doing ittwice.
“When I was coming to the ground I was thinking that I must get ten wicketsin the match, but never thought it will come in a single day,” said Yasir.
“I came from injury and didn t get the needed rhythm against Australia(last month) but now I am getting it and very happy to achieve this feat,”said Yasir.
Rain had delayed the start of the third day by an hour but when the actionstarted Yasir was lightening, bowling to his best ability on a turningDubai stadium pitch.
Yasir dismissed Latham (22), Taylor (nought) and Henry Nicholls (nought) inhis ninth over, triggering a collapse during which New Zealand lost alltheir ten wickets for just 40 runs after being well set on 50 without loss.
Yasir s bowling figures — his 15th five-wicket haul — beat his previousbest of 7-76 against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2015 and also the best againstNew Zealand.
Read Top Stories
Intikhab Alam (7-52) held the record for Pakistan s best bowling againstNew Zealand, achieved at Dunedin in 1973.
New Zealand, resuming at 27 without loss, lost Raval in an unfortunate wayas he tried to reverse sweep Yasir but the ball deflected off his bat tohis thigh and hit the stumps.
Raval top-scored with 31.
From 50-1 it became 61-2 when Yasir had Latham caught at short-leg byImam-ul-Haq off the first ball of his ninth over.
Two balls later he bowled experienced Taylor with a beautiful delivery thatturned and beat the forward push by the batsman.
Off his fifth ball Yasir bowled Nicholls through the gap between bat andpad.
It was Yasir who ran Bradley-John Watling run out soon after lunch for onebefore dismissing Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult — allwithout scoring in the space of nine balls.
Six New Zealand batsmen fell without scoring, making it the fifth occasionin a Test when six batsmen failed to score in an innings.
Williamson remained unbeaten on 28, watching wickets fell like nine pins atthe other end.
With Sodhi s wicket Yasir also completed 100 wickets in 16 Tests in UnitedArab Emirates (Dubai, Sharja and Abu Dhabi).
The third Test will be played in Abu Dhabi from December 3. – APP/AFP
