NZ strike late to set up captivating final day in Karachi

New Zealand have given themselves a big chance of winning the second Test in Pakistan, taking two wickets for no runs in just three overs after setting Pakistan 319 to win with a challenging late declaration.

New Zealand declared late on the fourth day on Thursday on 5-277, leaving Pakistan a day to battle for victory – and they immediately took the initiative with Tim Southee bowling Abdullah Shafique second ball.

When Ish Sodhi then bowled nightwatchman Mir Hamza with the final ball of the day, it left Pakistan on 2-0 after just 2.5 overs, leaving the visitors in the psychological driving seat going into the final day as they seek victory in their first Test tour to Pakistan in 20 years.

Pakistan still have a chance but must beat their previous highest successful chase of 314 in 1994 when they beat Australia by one wicket at the same National Stadium.

Earlier, New Zealand had taken a 41-run, first-innings lead after dismissing Pakistan for 408.

Then, Tom Blundell (74) and Michael Bracewell (74 not out) firmed up the visitors' victory push with a 127-run stand, with Southee making a late declaration after Blundell holed out in the deep going for quick runs.

It was an eventful day when incorrect decisions from umpires Alex Wharf and Aleem Dar took centre stage.

New Zealand successfully overturned Wharf's two leg before decisions in favour of leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and Dar erred when his caught behind ruling against Henry Nicholls (5) was overturned.

Pakistan didn't go for an lbw referral after Tom Latham (62) hit his second successive half-century when Wharf ruled for the batter and video suggested the ball would have hit the leg stump.

Blundell also successfully overturned an lbw decision before he scored and was dropped by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed just before tea.

Sarfaraz also dropped Bracewell soon after he completed his half-century and missed a stumping of Daryl Mitchell just before the New Zealand declaration.

Latham and Kane Williamson's (41) century stand pushed New Zealand ahead by 155 before Pakistan struck three times in the space of 14 runs.

Latham was brilliantly snapped up by Abrar, who plucked a low left-handed catch at square leg to break a threatening 114-run stand.

Williamson followed when Abrar finally had him lbw after twice wasting two reviews against the former captain before lunch.

Hasan Ali, playing his first Test since July, picked up his first wicket when Nicholls mistimed a pull shot and was caught at mid-off.

Latham dominated the spinners with sweep shots and hit 11 boundaries. He survived a chance just before his 25th half-century when Babar Azam dropped a difficult catch at midwicket.

Earlier, Devon Conway was out for a golden duck before Latham and Williamson guided New Zealand to 1-76 by lunch.

Left-arm fast bowler Hamza picked up his first Test wicket in four years when he had first-innings century-maker Conway clean bowled off the first ball when it shaped into the left-hander and struck the off stump after clipping Conway's pads.

Hamza was wicketless in the drawn first Test last week after being recalled for the first time since 2018.

Williamson and Latham batted with patience against pace on a pitch which looked good for batting, with only the odd ball keeping low and hardly any turn for the spinners.

Leg-spinner Sodhi (3-95) wrapped up Pakistan's first innings in the first over when he had No.11 Abrar trapped.

Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel picked up 3-88 as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 23.