DUBAI: Leg-spinner Yasir Shah took a career best eight wicket haul as New Zealand were forced to follow-on on the third day of the second Test in Dubai on Monday.
Yasir’s 8-41 in 12.3 overs rocked New Zealand to 90 all out and after follow-on they were 39-1 at tea, needing another 289 runs with nine wickets left to avoid an innings defeat.
Tom Latham (19) and Ken Williamson (13) were at the crease as Yasir’s destruction gave Pakistan a good chance of levelling the series after losing the first Test by four runs in Abu Dhabi last week.
Yasir dismissed opener Jeet Raval for his ninth wicket in the match, stumped for two.
Rain had delayed the start of the third day by an hour but when the action started Yasir was lightening, bowling to his best ability on a turning Dubai stadium pitch.
Yasir dismissed Latham (22), Ross Taylor (nought) and Henry Nicholls (nought) in his ninth over, triggering a collapse during which New Zealand lost all their 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 previous best of 7-76 against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2015 and also the best against New Zealand.
Intikhab Alam (7-52) held the record for Pakistan’s best bowling against New Zealand, achieved at Dunedin in 1973.
