this has surely got to be it.. and it is! Another big slog attempted as this one curves in and spins away, resulting in a leading edge as point takes it easily, reverse cupped
New Zealand vs Pakistan, 3rd Test at Abu Dhabi, PAK v NZ, Dec 03 2018 - Match Result
3.39pm Williamson put down Hafeez to deny New Zealand their breakthrough in this fourth innings, and he takes the catch to dismiss the last man. What a turnaround this has been! Not many might've anticipated this result, not after how the match was poised at the end of the fourth day's play. But New Zealand came out and put up a ruthless display. It was evident right from the outset as they pillaged 81 runs in nine overs, and then reduced Pakistan to five down at lunch. Pakistan were hapless, really, and all of New Zealand's bowlers came to the party. Not quite the ideal farewell for Mohammad Hafeez.. he'll carry memories, but unfortunately not many of them from this Test. he barely escaped a pair in his final Test and then has had to watch his team crumble from the dressing room. Jubilation in the New Zealand camp, heartbreak for Pakistan. This defeat will sting them badly for several months ahead. New Zealand have beaten Pakistan in a series away from home for the first time in 49 years.
Noel: "Just shows that, if a captain and his / her team are brave enough, and trust each other, what can be done.... similar to life, I suppose... great away series victory, one of the very few, these days."
Jawad Ahmed: "So in the end, those 4 runs loss of the 1st test match became series decider for Pakistan! Well played Kiwis!"
Naveed: "If you want to win a series in subcontinent? Get a left arm off spinner from indian origin and an right arm off spinner from ur own country. last time it was monty panesar and swann against india and this time there is patel and somerville.. WELL DONE"
Phil Knight: "In my lowly opinion this is our third greatest test series victory: 1st - 1985 in Australia 2nd - 1999 in England 3rd - THIS!!!!"
Anas Aamir: "All of Nz's victories in this tour have come in Abu Dhabi bar one (2nd Odi)."
Alright, let's hear from the captains and award winners.
Kane Williamson is Man of the Match.. duh!
And Yasir Shah is Man of the Series. "I feel very happy, because I have won man of the series after a long time," he says. "I just try to repeat the right things, and I fixed glitches in my action after working with the video analyst. I just try to focus on doing my best. It's unfortunate that we couldn't win the series despite the good performance."
"If you look at the series, it was in our hands and we let it slip. We had our opportunities," says losing captain Sarfraz Ahmed. "Unfortunately, our lower order couldn't score runs.. even 50-60 from them could be handy but we aren't there yet. The run-scoring responsibility is the batting order's, but f it comes down to it, the tail should be able to chip in. If we go till the fifth day, we need to bat well, especially with the new ball. That's an area to work on. South Africa will be tough, but we need to be positive in our thoughts."
Says Williamson, the winning captain: "I didn't wait 49 years. It was fantastic. Beating Pakistan in their backyard is very tough. It feels pretty special, and this will be one that the guys remember for a long time. We knew there's a lot of hard work to do. We felt we had a good first-innings total, but Pakistan played well in their first innings. we know the game can ebb and flow very quickly but we came out and played very well today. The spinners that came along in this tour.. to come here and stand up and play the way they did, you have to bowl a lot of overs to get rewards, but they played a huge part in our win. It's (is 139) was just about coming out and bucking down.. Nicholls played really well as well. It was a great fighting effort, and one that we will remember for a long time. Congratulations to Hafeez on a fantastic career. Unfortunate today, but he's been a great player."
Scenes at Abu Dhabi as New Zealand lift the trophy. This has been well-deserved, and a series they and their fans will remember for a long, long time. Got to feel for Yasir Shah, who had one of the great series for a spinner in modern times, but for all the impact he ends up on the losing side. Pakistan will do some searching inside and attempt to find a fix after this defeat, which no doubt would have come as a shock to them. They don't lose series in the UAE like this. But this is New Zealand's day and rightfully so. Now for them to let their hair down, and for me and Hemant to rest our fingers up. Thanks for your comments and company. Do log back in for all the post-match content from this historic day. From the comms desk, it's goodbye!
Razeen: "Pakistan is probably the only team who can lose a test on the last day after securing the lead in first innings. Twice. Goddd. Hail the patience of those supporting. Kiwis well played. Pak under played!!!"
Adnan Ejaz: "Simply the winner of this match & series in only KW, not only his bating, experience, fielding, captaincy he wins also in courage. Memorable exemplary captaincy after Imran Khan & MS Dhoni."
curving into middle and spinning away, blocked from the crease
defended back off the front foot
defended down the pitch
another wild slog attempted, this time makes no contact
that should be it.. ah, no. dropped. Jeet Raval running back from mid-off spills it as Shaheen gets down for a wild slog and skews it in the air off the outside of the bat with the ball spinning away. Moves towards it and lets it burst through
gets forward to block and gets beaten outside off
Faisal: "Babar azam and a wicket just before tea.A better love story than twilight."
back of a length, spinning away, cut to deep cover
oh, Babar, what have you done! All the good work washed away.. in one moment of madness as Babar springs down the track, fails to get to the pitch as the ball turns away, and ends up chipping it in the air off the toe-end as mid-off running backwards towards wide long-off snaffles it
pitched up on middle, pushed back
full, curving into middle, blocked
defended down the pitch
Might have enough time to squeeze in one more over before tea. Actually, scratch that. We have an extension of fifteen minutes. If a wicket falls now, then we'll have ourselves a half hour extension.
length, spins in and stopping on him, defended into the turf
stays in the crease and defends a length ball
dropped! Ross Taylor at first slip puts on down. Takes a good stride across to one that's looped up outside off and gets an outside edge that carries comfortably but Taylor makes a mess of it
pushed straight down the ground, past the bowler's right
advances down the ground and carves it away through extra cover.. comes back for the second as the ball's pulled back before the boundary, and that gives him his fifty
short, sitting up nicely as it angles in, gently pulled to deep midwicket as he gets on top of the bounce
1W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | 2W | |||
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | |
Toss | New Zealand, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2018/19 |
Player Of The Match | |
Player Of The Series | |
Series result | New Zealand won the 3-match series 2-1 |
Match number | Test no. 2332 |
Hours of play (local time) | 10am start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00; Friday: Lunch 12.30-13.30; Tea: 15.30-16.00; Close: 17:30 |
Match days | 3,4,5,6,7 December 2018 - day (5-day match) |
Test debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |