When asked about the feeling of getting 10 wickets in a single day, Yasir Shah replied that "when I walked towards the ground I was thinking of get 10 wickets in the match but I had never thought that I will get them in just a day". Yasir Shah became only the second bowler in the history of test cricket to take 10 wickets in a day after Anil Kumble. Yasir's heroics came after 19 years, 9 months and 19 days after Anil Kumble had set this record. Yasir Shah kept tumbling the records throughout the day and he now has third best bowling figures in test cricket after Sarfaraz Nawaz and Abdul Qadeer.
It started with the wicket of Jeet Raval and at that time New Zealand had 50 runs on the board in the 22nd over of their innings. What happened next was brutal for New Zealand as in the 28th over Yasir Shah outclassed 3 batsmen and that really turned him on. He produced two unplayable deliveries on which he got wickets of Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholas. Yasir Shah's over read W0W0W0, that can break the back of any team in the world.
It was his day and nothing could keep him out of the game as he effected a run out of BJ Watling in his next over. The onslaught continued as he took 2 wickets in the 34th over of the New Zealand innings on the first and third ball of the over and repeated the same in his next over leaving New Zealand stun. In the process, he became the first bowler in the world to take 100 wickets in UAE. Yasir Shah returned to the dug out head high, holding the ball in his hand and got a warm applause from the little crowd who were there to support their teams.
New Zealand were bundled out for 90 and Pakistan enforced the follow on which meant New Zealand had to bat again. Again Jeet Raval became the first victim of Yasir Shah in the second innings of New Zealand. There was a little partnership after the fall but of first wicket but eventually Yasir Shah castled Kane Williamson with a beauty to take his 10th wicket of the day.
Pakistani bowlers were made to toil hard during the start of the fourth day but once Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholas were back to the dressing room, it didn't take Yasir Shah much time to send the rest of them back. Yasir Shah took 4 wickets in fourth day and ended with 14 wickets in a single match and joined Imran Khan who has also achieved the same feat for Pakistan nearly 4 decades ago. Yasir Shah's 14/184 is also the best bowling figures against New Zealand by any bowler and it is the best bowling figures in UAE also by any bowler.
Earlier, Pakistan made 418 in their first innings before declaring, thanks to the twin centuries by Haris Sohail and Babar Azam. Babar Azam got his maiden test century in his 17th test match. Azhar Ali also played a good hand by making 81 runs. In reply New Zealand were out for 90 runs in the first innings loosing 10 wickets for just 40 runs. The top three of New Zealand made 81 out of 90. New Zealand fought well in the second innings courtesy of Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholas after following on but ended up loosing by an innings and 16 runs.
The series is now levelled at 1-1 and the decider will be played in Abu Dhabi from 3rd of December.
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