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(AFP)
Day 1 report: Leg-spinner Yasir Shah led a double-barrelled attack of spin and pace to leave Pakistan sitting comfortably on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand on Friday.
Yasir led the varied attack with 3-54 as New Zealand, who won the toss and batted on a grass-less Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch, were bowled out for a below-par 153 in 66.3 overs at the stroke of tea.
The day saw 12 wickets fall as Pakistan closed at 59-2, having lost both their openers Imam-ul-Haq (six) and Mohammad Hafeez (20) before Haris Sohail (22 not out) and Azhar Ali (10 not out) stopped the rot.
Pakistan need 94 more to take a lead and enforce a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Imam was first to go as he edged Colin de Grandhomme's delivery to the slip while Hafeez miscued a pull straight to short mid-wicket -- both caught by Kane Williamson.
New Zealand skipper Williamson, declared fit after missing last Sunday's third one-day international due to a groin injury, top-scored with 63 before falling softly to medium pacer Hasan Ali, who finished with 2-38.
Hasan removed Williamson with a slower delivery as the New Zealand skipper went for a hook and gloved the ball for wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed's fourth catch of the innings.
Williamson's 112-ball knock had five boundaries and he added 72 for the fourth wicket with Henry Nicholls who made 28 with four boundaries.
In the same over Hasan trapped De Grandhomme for a first-ball duck before Sohail dismissed Ish Sodhi (four) and BJ Watling (four) -- both were trapped leg-before.
Mohammad Abbas, who has figures of 2-13, had removed Nicholls, caught behind by Sarfraz soon after lunch.
Pakistan dominated the first session as New Zealand were 81-3 at lunch, with leg-spinner Yasir Shah taking the first of his two wickets in his opening overs.
Yasir had derailed New Zealand's progress in the first session with the wickets of opener Tom Latham (13) and Ross Taylor (two) in his first spell.
New Zealand openers Jeet Raval and Latham survived some anxious moments before pace spearhead Mohammad Abbas had Raval edging to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed after scoring seven.
Yasir, who had to endure a tough last week due to the death of his mother, had Latham caught at mid-wicket off a loose drive with the fourth ball of his first over.
In his fourth over Yasir had Taylor caught behind with a sharp leg-break, leaving New Zealand at 39-3.
New Zealand handed Test debut to 30-year-old left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, leaving out experienced pacer Tim Southee.
The second Test is in Dubai (November 24-28) and third in Abu Dhabi (December 3-7).
Commentary (New Zealand innings)
8.1 Y Shah to Raval, Tossed up leg break from around the wicket, spinning in, Raval presses forward and defends. 16/1
7.6 H Ali to Williamson, Some more chin music for the New Zealand captain. He just ducks under it and lets it pass. 16/1
7.5 H Ali to Williamson, Short and wide outside off, no way Williamson will play at that. 16/1
7.4 H Ali to Williamson, Back of a length delivery, close to off, kept out safely from within the crease. 16/1
7.3 H Ali to Williamson, Outside off, left alone for the keeper to collect. 16/1
7.2 H Ali to Williamson, Full in length, attacking the stumps, another defensive shot from Williamson. 16/1
7.1 H Ali to Williamson, Full ball outside off, blocked off the front foot. 16/1
6.6 Y Shah to Williamson, Loopy, slow and full outside off, invites Williamson forward and he pushes it through covers to keep strike. 16/1
6.5 Y Shah to Raval, Quicker and shorter, flicked off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a run. 15/1
6.4 Y Shah to Raval, Goes with the spin and turns it on the leg side with soft hands. 14/1
6.3 Y Shah to Raval, Tossed up in line of the stumps, pushed back down the track. 14/1
6.2 Y Shah to Williamson, Looped up leg break, driven from the front foot through the covers for one. 14/1
6.1 Y Shah to Williamson, The flipper on off stump, Kane backs away and forces the punch to point. 13/1
Yasir Shah is into the attack now.
5.6 H Ali to Raval, Seaming into the left-hander from a fullish length, blocked off the front foot to end the over. 13/1
5.5 H Ali to Raval, In the channel outside off, arms are shouldered confidently. 13/1
5.4 H Ali to Raval, Keeps it on the fuller side, but brings it back in just outside off, Raval takes a step forward and meets it with the full face. 13/1
5.3 H Ali to J Raval, Full ball outside the line of off stump, driven to the mid off fielder. 13/1
5.2 H Ali to Raval, Coming in again but the line is a touch straight, Jeet whips this behind square leg and comes back for the second. 13/1
5.1 H Ali to Raval, From around the wicket and wide of the crease, swinging back in, Raval is rock solid in defense. Plays it down on the leg side. 11/1
4.6 M Abbas to Williamson, Keeps it close to off, it's defensively punched square to point. 11/1
4.5 M Abbas to Williamson, Targets the off stump with a length delivery, blocked with a straight blade in response. 11/1
4.4 M Abbas to Williamson, Wide outside off, reaches out to it and slaps it to the man at cover-point. 11/1
4.3 M Abbas to Williamson, Beaten! After bringing two back in, Abbas makes this one go away. On a back of a length, Williamson pushes inside the line and misses. 11/1
4.2 M Abbas to Williamson, Attacks the stumps, doesn't give Williamson much room with this length ball. The batter can only stay behind the line and block. 11/1
4.1 M Abbas to Williamson, Cutting back in from a good length, on middle and leg, worked down in front of mid-wicket. 11/1
3.6 H Ali to Raval, Good carry on that. Hasan pitches it in the channel outside off, the southpaw lets it be as Sarfraz collects it at chest height. 11/1
3.5 H Ali to Raval, Almost dragged it back on! Back of a length just outside off, coming back in, Raval with no foot movement gets an inside edge which thuds onto his pads. 11/1
3.4 H Ali to Williamson, Short of a good length outside off, the Kiwi skipper punches it through the gap in the covers. Three good runs taken. 11/1
3.3 H Ali to Williamson, FOUR! Too straight once again from Hasan Ali and he pays the price. Can't bowl it to him there. Williamson flicks it away sweetly through the vacant square leg region and finds the fence. 8/1
3.2 H Ali to Raval, Too straight in line, allows Raval to work this down towards fine leg for a single. 4/1
3.1 H Ali to Raval, Coming back in from outside off, full in length, Jeet blocks with a defensive blade in response. 3/1
2.6 M Abbas to Williamson, Over the wicket, length delivery which keeps a bit low. Williamson does well to bring his bat down and force it away on the off side. 3/1
2.5 M Abbas to Raval, Fraction straight in line, flicked towards mid-wicket where Bilal Asif makes a diving stop to his left. The batsmen cross over. 3/1
2.4 M Abbas to Raval, Offers no shot this time. Sees the ball landing outside off on a length, he covers the line and lets it through. 2/1
2.3 M Abbas to Raval, Lovely full length, shaping back around off, Raval with the full face of the bat blocks it in front of cover. 2/1
2.2 M Abbas to Raval, Bit fuller around off, Jeet prods forward and pushes it with hard hands to cover. 2/1
2.1 M Abbas to Raval, From around the wicket to Raval, a good length ball is seaming back in on off. The left-hander stands his ground and blocks it down on the off side. 2/1
1.6 H Ali to Williamson, Well left. Excellent over from Hasan Ali comes to an end. He hurls it in the off stump channel, Kane covers the line and makes a watchful leave. 2/1
1.5 H Ali to Williamson, Outside the line of off stump, Williamson confidently offers a firm punch which finds the cover fielder. 2/1
1.4 H Ali to Williamson, Length delivery outside off, punched off the back foot to short cover. 2/1
1.3 H Ali to Raval, Back to around the wicket to the left-hander, it's angled in on a back of a length, Raval too gets off the mark as he works it down in front of square leg for one. 2/1
1.2 H Ali to Williamson, Over the wicket now to Kane. Fuller length ball on off, it's flicked behind square on the leg side for a single. Williamson is off the mark immediately. 1/1
Kane Williamson is in at no.3.
1.1 H Ali to Tom Latham, OUT! Bowled first ball! What a beginning from Hasan Ali. Nothing Tom Latham could have done about that, really. Incredible delivery first up. Hasan Ali comes from around the wicket and bowls it around off, it shapes back in as Latham hangs his bat down the wrong line. The off stump goes for the toss and that's the first breakthrough for the home side. 0/1
Hasan Ali to bowl from the other end.
0.6 M Abbas to Raval, Good length delivery outside the line of off stump, left alone to end the over. 0/0
0.5 M Abbas to Raval, That's a brave leave from Jeet Raval. Abbas pitches it close to off on a length and as Raval lets it go, it nips back in. Whiskers past the off stick. Super close, that. 0/0
0.4 M Abbas to Raval, Just ahead of a length, on the fourth stump line, Raval plants his front foot forward and shoulders arms. 0/0
0.3 M Abbas to Raval, Third leave in a row. Expect more of this with Abbas bowling. He keeps probing in that off stump channel, left alone. 0/0
0.2 M Abbas to Raval, Good shape on that. Mohammad Abbas hurls it on a length once more, quite close to off, Raval once again leaves it alone. 0/0
0.1 M Abbas to Raval, Angling across on a good length, Raval watchfully lets it be. 0/0
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Pakistan vs New Zealand, First Test Day 1 Highlights - As It Happened
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