Pakistan vs. New Zealand, 3rd Test: Day 4 Highlights, Scorecard and Report

New Zealand’s bowlers built on the foundations laid by their batsmen to win the third Test with Pakistan by an innings and 80 runs to level the series.

Pakistan had been the dominant force in the opening two Tests, but the tables were comprehensively turned in Sharjah.

New Zealand began the day with their tailenders intent on heaping more misery on Pakistan.

Mark Craig and Ish Sohdi did just that, as they added 45 runs—with the former compiling his second Test half century.

The efforts of Craig and Sodhi, and the brilliance of Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson earlier in the innings, helped take New Zealand to 690, which set a record for their highest Test score.

Batsman	How Out	Runs	Minutes	Balls
TWM Latham	c Sarfraz Ahmed b Rahat Ali	13	44	32
BB McCullum	b Yasir Shah	202	279	188
KS Williamson	c Younis Khan b Rahat Ali	192	399	244
LRPL Taylor	c Younis Khan b Yasir Shah	50	137	114
CJ Anderson	c Yasir Shah b Rahat Ali	50	68	57
DL Vettori	lbw b Rahat Ali	15	32	15
BJ Watling	lbw b Mohammad Hafeez	8	34	22
MD Craig	c & b Mohammad Hafeez	65		85
TG Southee	c Mohammad Talha b Yasir Shah	50	56	61
IS Sodhi	c Younis Khan b Yasir Shah	22		43
TA Boult	not out	0		4
Extras	(b 2, lb 7, w 8, nb 6)	23
Total	(all out; 143.1 overs)	690
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Mohammad Talha	22	2	136	0
Rahat Ali	29	2	99	4
Zulfiqar Babar	23	1	135	0
Yasir Shah	44.1	4	193	4
Mohammad Hafeez	23	2	110	2
Azhar Ali	2	0	8	0

Having seen how well New Zealand had batted on what looked an extremely docile Sharjah pitch, Pakistan would have expected to make a good fist of their second innings.

That, though, was not the case. In a short spell before tea, Trent Boult found a superb line and length and ripped through the top order.

Batsman	How Out	Runs	Minutes	Balls
Mohammad Hafeez	c & b Craig	24	63	41
Shan Masood	c Southee b Boult	4	11	5
Azhar Ali	b Boult	6	19	16
Younis Khan	lbw b Boult	0	8	1
Misbah-ul-Haq*	c †Watling b Craig	12	76	57
Asad Shafiq	c Craig b Boult	137	183	148
Sarfraz Ahmed†	c Taylor b Sodhi	37	48	39
Yasir Shah	lbw b Sodhi	10	3	4
Mohammad Talha	lbw b Vettori	19	24	27
Rahat Ali	c McCullum b Craig	6	56	42
Zulfiqar Babar	not out	0	4	2
Extras	(lb 2, w 1, nb 1)	4
Total	(all out; 63.3 overs)	259
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
TA Boult	15	6	38	4
TG Southee	11	3	20	0
MD Craig	20.3	2	109	3
DL Vettori	5	2	8	1
IS Sodhi	12	0	82	2

Shan Masood edged an outswinger to Tim Southee in the slips, Azhar Ali shouldered arms and looked on in horror as the ball crashed into his stumps and Younis Khan was trapped lbw first ball.

The pace of Boult was replaced by spin in the evening session, and it proved too much for Pakistan.

In the second over of the session, first-innings centurion Mohammad Hafeez attempted to whip a ball thorough midwicket but got it wrong and spooned a catch back to bowler Mark Craig.

Craig continued to whirl away and his probing line and length was eventually rewarded. Misbah-ul-Haq attempted to defend a flighted ball outside off stump but the ball brushed his glove on the way through to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

Sarfraz Ahmed attempted to counter-attack and played some lusty shots, but he fell to a quite brilliant catch at slip from Ross Taylor off Sodhi.

Yasir Shah strode to the wicket and his first two balls were dispatched for boundaries but two balls later he was trapped lbw by Sodhi.

Mohammad Talha joined Asad Shafiq at the crease and they frustrated New Zealand for 45 minutes, but Daniel Vettori returned to prise out the former lbw.

"

Vettori strikes to get Talha lbw in which could be his last test match for New Zealand. #PakvNZ pic.twitter.com/NVlr7lT0H4

— MOHAMMAD NAFEEL ZAKI (@nafeelzaki) November 30, 2014"

While wickets fell around him, Shafiq continued on his merry way and brought up his century in truly spectacular fashion.

"

Asad Shafiq rakes up 16 runs in Mark Craig's over and brings up his 5th Test ton. Lone man fighting as Pak trail by 112. #PAKvNZ

— saifullah (@ICCLive360) November 30, 2014"

Shafiq kept playing his shots, but fortune turned New Zealand's way when he was on 133 as he hoisted Boult towards the midwicket boundary but did not middle it and Craig took a decent catch.

New Zealand's players congratulated Shafiq on his way to the pavilion, which epitomised the spirit the game had been played in.

One over later, New Zealand wrapped up the win as Craig removed Rahat Ali to take his 10th wicket of the match.

Vettori, in what is likely to be his final Test appearance, led the team from the field.