New Zealand level series after innings win at Sharjah

3rd Test: New Zealand level series after big win against Pakistan

Fast bowler Trent Boult’s four-wicket haul led New Zealand to a resounding innings and 80-run victory against Pakistan with a day to spare in the third and final Test to level the series 1-1 on Sunday.

Trailing by a mammoth 339 runs after the first innings, Pakistan had a task that looked next to impossible after the early fall of wickets to New Zealand left-arm medium pacer Trent Boult (four for 38). Pakistan never recovered from the lightning ‘Boults’, losing the three top-order batsmen in quick succession. New Zealand’s three-pronged spin attack then went on to wrap up the issue by maintaining a tight length and line.

Asad Shafiq fought a lone battle with a career-best 137 off 148 balls as Pakistan was bowled out for 259 in 63.3 overs after the Black Caps set a new national record score of 690 for a massive lead of 339 runs. The decisive Test was extended by a day after the second day’s play was abandoned in memory of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, who died on Thursday after being struck by a ball.

New Zealand lost the first Test by 248 runs, but quickly adapted to the slow wickets in the United Arab Emirates by forcing Pakistan to draw the second Test and then notched only their eighth victory in 53 Test matches against Pakistan.

The teams will next play two Twenty20 games, starting on Thursday before the five-match one-day series begins on December 8.