KIWIS END 49-YEAR WAIT FOR AWAY WIN OVER PAKISTAN
Debutant Will Somerville grabbed three key wickets to guide New Zealand to their first away series win over Pakistan in 49 years with a crushing 123-run win in the third and final Test on Friday.
The off-spinner took 3-52 and was aided by fellow spinner Ajaz Patel’s 3-42 as Pakistan came up well short after being set a daunting 280-run target in 79 overs.
They crumbled to 156 in 56.1 overs on a weary pitch at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
“It was a fantastic series to be a part of and obviously to go one-all and then have a deciding match that goes five days with both teams in with a chance of a result proves it was a special win,” said New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who has now captained New Zealand to victory in five of their last six series.
“Certainly from our perspective
to have won the series against a side like Pakistan who are formidable in these conditions is quite special.”
The victory gave New Zealand a 2-1 series win after they had taken the first Test by a narrow four-run margin at the same venue.
Pakistan bounced back with an innings and 16-run win in the second Test in Dubai.
New Zealand’s last away series win against Pakistan was a 1-0 victory in matches played in Pakistan in 1969.
It was the Black Caps’ fifth Test series win in their last six played since November 2016. They beat Pakistan, Bangladesh, the West Indies and England — all at home — with the single loss came against South Africa.
Somerville, who took 4-75 in the first innings to finish with seven wickets in the match, broke a stubborn 43-run sixth-wicket stand between top scorer Babar Azam (51) and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who made 28.
“It’s a very disappointing series loss for us,” said Sarfraz, whose team has now lost three consecutive Tests at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
“We had our chances but we could not grab them.
“If you talk of the first Test we bowled them out for a low score but did not take a big lead. Here too we did not take a big lead and had to pay for that.”
Patel ended Azam’s 114-ball resistance before getting the last wicket when he dismissed Hasan Ali for four, sparking celebrations among the New Zealand players.
Earlier, New Zealand declared their second innings on 353-7 after some 45 minutes of batting with Henry Nicholls remaining unbeaten on 126 and Kane Williamson dismissed at his overnight score of 139.
Pakistan were again let down by sloppy batting.
It’s a very disappointing series loss for us. We had our chances but we could not grab them
Sarfraz Ahmed