AFP, Abu Dhabi :
New Zealand, set a daunting target of 480 runs to win, were facing defeat as they finished the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan on 174-8 in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday .
At the crease were New Zealand’s ninth wicket pair of Mark Craig (27) and Ish Sodhi (27) as they defied Pakistan in a 36-run stand.
New Zealand still need 306 runs while Pakistan need two wickets.
Pakistan declared their second innings at 175-2 with opener Mohammad Hafeez hitting an unbeaten 101 for his sixth Test hundred.
Brendon McCullum (39), Corey Anderson (23) and Kane Williamson (23) were the other run-getters.
Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah and Rahat Ali took two wickets apiece.
Pakistan had made 566-3 declared in their first innings while New Zealand were bowled out for 262 in their first knock.
Scorecard
Scoreboard at stumps on the fourth day of the first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday:
Pakistan 1st innings 566-3 declared (Ahmed Shehzad 176, Misbah-ul Haq 102 not out, Younis Khan 100 not out; C. Anderson 2-68)
New Zealand Ist innings 262 (R. Latham 103; Rahat Ali 4-22, Zulfiqar Babar 3-79)
Pakistan 2nd innings (overnight 15-0)
Mohammad Hafeez not out 101
Azhar Ali lbw b Sodhi 23
Younis Khan lbw b Sodhi 28
Sarfraz Ahmed not out 13
Extras: (b6, lb2, w2) 10
Total: (for two wkts; 39.2
overs dec) 175
Fall of wickets: 1-69 (Ali), 2-139 (Younis)
Bowling: Boult 7-2-25-0, Southee 9-0-33-0, Sodhi 13-1-66-2, Anderson 5-1-11-0, Craig 5-0-29-0, McCullum 0.2-0-3-0
New Zealand 2nd innings
T. Latham c Shah b Babar 20
B. McCullum b Shah 39
K. Williamson st Sarfraz b Hafeez 23
R. Taylor lbw b Shah 8
C. Anderson lbw b Khan 23
J. Neesham c Sarfraz b Rahat 0
BJ Watling b Rahat 0
M. Craig not out 27
T. Southee b Babar 5
Sodhi not out 27
Extras: (lb2) 2
Total: (for eight wkts; 54 overs) 174
Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Latham), 2-61 (McCullum), 3-69 (Taylor), 4-111 (Williamson), 5-112 (Neesham), 6-112 (Watling), 7-121 (Anderson), 8-138 (Southee)
Bowling: Rahat 9-1-38-2, Khan 7-0-34-1, Babar 18-6-30-2, Shah 13-1-49-2, Hafeez 7-0-21-1
Toss: Pakistan
Umpires: Rodney Tucker (AUS) and Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
