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Kane Williamson (139*) and Henry Nicholls (90*) put New Zealand on top in final Test versus Pakistan

Sarfraz knows his team doesn't have it in them to chase 175 so pressure is building on him
 
Nice little partnership is developing. If NZ can give a target if 180,game on. We can see a thrilling finish
 
Gifting them easy runs now.

Only pak can potentially throw a game away from such a strong position
 
Need to make this a hundred to make it a match/series winning hundred.
 
castortroy said:
Sarfraz knows his team doesn't have it in them to chase 175 so pressure is building on him
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Yes there is lack of belief in this team and Safraz too has been very poor off-late under pressure.
Instead of leading the team he exhibits very poor body language in crunch situations
 
I know he got 5 wkts 1st inns but billal doesnt look like a bowler! Captains reviews r more worrying than billals underarm bowling.. games over already . No way chasing this already. Poor bowling on day 4 pitch. As soon as NZ were 1 ahead-sarfraz shaking at thought of batting again. Mentally fragile, u can see sarfraz breaking down in the field.. c*apping it-knows he has one/two days left in his career. Hope they dont get a lead over 100-that way defeat will b more embarrassing for pak..
 
Poor reviews, bowlers not been used properly, easy runs given away. Weve seen this captaincy all to often.
 
Pakistan should consider themselves lucky if they get a 176 run target again. This pitch isn't doing anything like the 1st test.
 
AAli98 said:
I know he got 5 wkts 1st inns but billal doesnt look like a bowler! Captains reviews r more worrying than billals underarm bowling.. games over already . No way chasing this already. Poor bowling on day 4 pitch. As soon as NZ were 1 ahead-sarfraz shaking at thought of batting again. Mentally fragile, u can see sarfraz breaking down in the field.. c*apping it-knows he has one/two days left in his career. Hope they dont get a lead over 100-that way defeat will b more embarrassing for pak..
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I agree
 
38 run lead already, what is happening. I thought NZ will just roll over and die. Didnt expect this fight!.

:jimmy
 
At 38/4 , hosts very much in command but if Kiwi's do not lose more than 3 wickets in next session this could turn out to be very interesting .
 
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Willy has stamped himself as the best batsman in world cricket right now.

He can score on any kind of pitch in any match situation. There was never any doubt in his game against pace but now he has lifted his game against spin to next level too. He is even playing Yasir with ease who is in top form.

A series where batsmen have scored at a SR of 40 he is striking at 50+. What a player!!!
 
shariqnoor said:
Pakistan should consider themselves lucky if they get a 176 run target again. This pitch isn't doing anything like the 1st test.
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Regardless of pitch, our batting folds under pressure.
 
Pakistans failure to build a huge 1st inns lead coming back to haunt them again.
 
If pakistan lose this test as well , pakistan should consider chaging home venues. May be try sri lanka as they make very good test wickets these days. Certainly better than playing on these dead wickets in front of empty stands in searing heat
 
NZ is favorite to win this test. We have 3 walking wickets plus Asad, Babar and Shafiq choke under pressure. Anything over 100 and match is gone
 
Kane is the most underrated player this decade. There was one ball which really grubbed through low from Yasir and Waqar mentioned that only kane could have played that. He's right too. He may not be the most dominant batsman it flash y but can play on tough pitches with minnowesqye support from the other kiwi bats. Fantastic player.
 
JibranAnsari said:
If pakistan lose this test as well , pakistan should consider chaging home venues. May be try sri lanka as they make very good test wickets these days. Certainly better than playing on these dead wickets in front of empty stands in searing heat
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True, love the conditions in Sri Lanka. Some swing with the new ball and spin later on.
 
JibranAnsari said:
If pakistan lose this test as well , pakistan should consider chaging home venues. May be try sri lanka as they make very good test wickets these days. Certainly better than playing on these dead wickets in front of empty stands in searing heat
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They once became no.1 by playing here
 
Nikhil_cric said:
Kane is the most underrated player this decade. There was one ball which really grubbed through low from Yasir and Waqar mentioned that only kane could have played that. He's right too. He may not be the most dominant batsman it flash y but can play on tough pitches with minnowesqye support from the other kiwi bats. Fantastic player.
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That is why I currently rate him the best test batsman.
 
This afternoon session has been the best for batting this whole test match and NZ should look to capitalise
 
Why is Hasan still bowling when he’s clearly struggling with a niggle?
 
Sarfaraz should have had more men close to the bat, poor captaincy
 
I would like New Zealand to give us a target of 200. So that Pakistan can chase it down tomorrow and on top of it put an end to so much criticism that they can not chase under pressure blah blah.

It is a redemption for team pak to put all the glass empty critics on silence mode as did

Alicis Ghiggia in 1950 fifa world cup final in brazil in front of 199000 people at maracana.
 
Ahmed216 said:
They once became no.1 by playing here
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We still had to go and draw against england in england to become number 1 , the issue though is dead wickets , poor westher conditions and empty stands. At least we will have better wickets and good weather in sri lanka . I think its time to dumo UAE for good.
 
Hafeez should bowl against the left hander. Haris should also be tried. More imagination needed. Short leg should be placed as well.
 
Sarwar89 said:
I would like New Zealand to give us a target of 200. So that Pakistan can chase it down tomorrow and on top of it put an end to so much criticism that they can not chase under pressure blah blah.

It is a redemption for team pak to put all the glass empty critics on silence mode as did

Alicis Ghiggia in 1950 fifa world cup final in brazil in front of 199000 people at maracana.
Click to expand...

No team can win here chasing 200 on last day
 
If New zealand does not get out by the end of the day, their lead will not exceed beyond 200. And they will not declare unless lead is near to 300.

So draw is also on the cards, Pakistan might have to bat 2 sessions. 50-55 overs.
 
Sarwar89 said:
If New zealand does not get out by the end of the day, their lead will not exceed beyond 200. And they will not declare unless lead is near to 300.

So draw is also on the cards, Pakistan might have to bat 2 sessions. 50-55 overs.
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Its not going to be a draw.
 
I think the captain, players and team management know that if kiwis batt for the remainder of the day it's all over for pak.

Pak are probably the worst team when it comes to batting in the 4th innings. I won't even back pak to bat out 2 sessions.
 
I don't think I've ever seen a more defeatist captain in the field than Sarfraz. Granted, Pakistan are on the backfoot here and the game is quietly slipping away but for God's sake, it is still 59/4. A couple of quick wickets and Pakistan are on top again. But watching Sarfraz makes me feel like we're 400 runs behind.
 
shariqnoor said:
I don't think I've ever seen a more defeatist captain in the field than Sarfraz. Granted, Pakistan are on the backfoot here and the game is quietly slipping away but for God's sake, it is still 59/4. A couple of quick wickets and Pakistan are on top again. But watching Sarfraz makes me feel like we're 400 runs behind.
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Agree with each word
 
It's probably because even he knows that pak just don't have it in them to chase anything above 150.

Unless New Zealand collapse dramatically, I can only see one winner from here on
 
This looks like its going to be an interesting finish to this series. Looking forward to it.
 
if kiwi's bat out the whole day then they would be around 225 ahead & it could be a draw as i see no declaration from them . 138:64 / 4 .
 
shariqnoor said:
I don't think I've ever seen a more defeatist captain in the field than Sarfraz. Granted, Pakistan are on the backfoot here and the game is quietly slipping away but for God's sake, it is still 59/4. A couple of quick wickets and Pakistan are on top again. But watching Sarfraz makes me feel like we're 400 runs behind.
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he is a poor captain . Incidentally, this still is a dead pitch .
 
Sunday league cup safraz won last year has made him invincible..

Clueless captain
Can’t use drs
Cant bat
Cant keep

Which other self respecting cricketing nation would keep a mediocre player like that in the team.
 
AAli98 said:
Sunday league cup safraz won last year has made him invincible..

Clueless captain
Can’t use drs
Cant bat
Cant keep

Which other self respecting cricketing nation would keep a mediocre player like that in the team.
Click to expand...

Add screaming to it t
 
That first test catastrophe is going to cost us the series
 
Looks like sarfraz does the whole bowling changes in one innings then forgets to do in other one
 
shariqnoor said:
I don't think I've ever seen a more defeatist captain in the field than Sarfraz. Granted, Pakistan are on the backfoot here and the game is quietly slipping away but for God's sake, it is still 59/4. A couple of quick wickets and Pakistan are on top again. But watching Sarfraz makes me feel like we're 400 runs behind.
Click to expand...

That's the difference between good and bad captain. It's really shocking to see a captain in backfoit when he has multiple reasons in favor of him to be in backfoot.
Nevertheless,as a neutral I am enjoying the contest.
 
76 run lead..... Hafeez must be licking his lips in anticipation of an incredible final innings chase into the sunset :abbas1
 
Mainul said:
That's the difference between good and bad captain. It's really shocking to see a captain in backfoit when he has multiple reasons in favor of him to be in backfoot.
Nevertheless,as a neutral I am enjoying the contest.
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If you cannot bear the pressure of game outside the ground how can you perform inside the ground
 
It is good to watch Pakistan when you truly know your team's place and don't have big expectations
 
If Williamson scores a 100 and NZ somehow win, this knock will be rated very very highly and he will re-enter the best test batsman discussion in style. Facing a deficit of 75 and roaring back in the 3rd innings with minimal support from the other end in alien conditions, don't even remember Smith or Kohli doing something like this.
 
Williamson threatening to take the game and series away from us.

Surprised Sarfraz hasn't turned to Hafeez or Haris for a couple of overs.
 
Dark_Horse said:
If you cannot bear the pressure of game outside the ground how can you perform inside the ground
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I am a fan, not a professional cricketer. As a professional cricketer,as a captain you should know how to handle pressure.
 
Swashbuckler said:
If Williamson scores a 100 and NZ somehow win, this knock will be rated very very highly and he will re-enter the best test batsman discussion in style. Facing a deficit of 75 and roaring back in the 3rd innings with minimal support from the other end in alien conditions, don't even remember Smith or Kohli doing something like this.
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Deficit of 75 isnt that big, especially against Pak
 
I've never seen the leg slip work off Yasir's bowling. Not sure why Sarfraz keeps it. An absolute wasted fielder.

Also why isn't Hafeez/Haris/Azhar given a bowl? Clearly the frontline bowlers aren't working.
 
Markhor said:
Williamson threatening to take the game and series away from us.

Surprised Sarfraz hasn't turned to Hafeez or Haris for a couple of overs.
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Sarfaraz has captained well in patches. This is truly shocking that he hasnt used hafeez.
 
That is the difference between an average batsman's innings and a worldclass batsman. Just look at the SR of Williamson and try to remember that of Azhar Ali and Shafiq.
 
Pathetic captaincy by Sarfraz. This partnership has been going on for 30 overs, you are desperate for a wicket and yet you do not bowl your fifth and sixth bowlers, one of whom is known to be effective against left handers. If we go on to lose this, regardless of how we bat in the fourth, Sarfraz will be the major reason.
 
Kane was out lbw against Hasan Ali but wasnt given by the umpire, nevertheless a class innings from a class player
 
Ahmed216 said:
Deficit of 75 isnt that big, especially against Pak
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But this is a relatively low scoring match and NZ were 36/3 in response at one point. Pakistan is a monster team in the desert, don't underestimate your team !!!!
 
Pretty depressing. Basically only hope is Hafeez to play a blinder. We might be chasing 200+ now. Pitch looks good though.
 
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