DUBAI: Leg-spinner Yasir Shah wrecked New Zealand with a career-best eight-wicket haul as Pakistan sniffed victory on the third day of the second Test in Dubai on Monday.
The 32-year-old grabbed 8-41 in 12.3 overs which annihilated New Zealand to 90 all out in just 35.3 overs before taking two more wickets as New Zealand — following on — were 131-2 at close in their second innings.
Yasir dismissed opener Jeet Raval for two before accounting for New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson caught behind for 30 to complete his third ten-wicket haul in the match.
Tom Latham (44) and Ross Taylor (49) were at the crease at close as New Zealand need another 197 runs to avoid an innings defeat while Pakistan can level the series by taking another eight wickets with two days to play.
New Zealand won the first Test in Abu Dhabi by four runs last week to gain a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Taylor has hit six boundaries and a six in his return-to-form innings while Latham has hit three boundaries as the two have added 65 for the unbroken third wicket stand to take the fight to the Pakistan bowlers.
But the day belonged to Yasir, who rocked New Zealand in the first innings.
He also became the first Pakistani to take ten wickets in a single day, ninth in the world with England’s left-arm spinner Johnny Briggs doing it twice.
“When I was coming to the ground I was thinking that I must get ten wickets in the match, but never thought it will come in a single day,” said Yasir.
“I came from injury and didn’t get the needed rhythm against Australia (last month) but now I am getting it and very happy to achieve this feat,” said Yasir.
Rain had delayed the start of the third day by an hour but when the action started Yasir was lightening, bowling to his best ability on a turning Dubai stadium pitch.
Yasir dismissed Latham (22), Taylor (nought) and Henry Nicholls (nought) in his ninth over, triggering a collapse during which New Zealand lost all their ten wickets for just 40 runs after being well set on 50 without loss.
Yasir’s bowling figures — his 15th five-wicket haul — beat his previous best of 7-76 against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2015 and also the best against New Zealand.
Intikhab Alam (7-52) held the record for Pakistan’s best bowling against New Zealand, achieved at Dunedin in 1973.
New Zealand, resuming at 27 without loss, lost Raval in an unfortunate way as he tried to reverse sweep Yasir but the ball deflected off his bat to his thigh and hit the stumps.
Raval top-scored with 31.
From 50-1 it became 61-2 when Yasir had Latham caught at short-leg by Imam-ul-Haq off the first ball of his ninth over.
Two balls later he bowled experienced Taylor with a beautiful delivery that turned and beat the forward push by the batsman.
Off his fifth ball Yasir bowled Nicholls through the gap between bat and pad.
It was Yasir who ran Bradley-John Watling run out soon after lunch for one before dismissing Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult — all without scoring in the space of nine balls.
Six New Zealand batsmen fell without scoring, making it the fifth occasion in a Test when six batsmen failed to score in an innings.
Williamson remained unbeaten on 28, watching wickets fell like nine pins at the other end.
With Sodhi’s wicket Yasir also completed 100 wickets in 16 Tests in United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Sharja and Abu Dhabi).
The third Test will be played in Abu Dhabi from December 3.
Pakistan sniff win as Yasir spin destroys New Zealand
Pakistan sniff win as Yasir spin destroys New Zealand
Freddy Schott wins maiden title after 3-way Bahrain Championship playoff
- The German beat Calum Hill and Patrick Reed after they all finished on 17-under after 72 holes
BAHRAIN: Freddy Schott won his first DP World Tour title after beating Calum Hill and Patrick Reed in a playoff at the 2026 Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on Sunday.
The trio were locked together at 17-under par after 72 holes. This was after Reed shot 67 on Sunday to make up a four-shot overnight deficit to Hill, who began day two clear but had to settle for a 71 after a bogey. Schott carded 69 to join the pair.
Reed bogeyed the first playoff hole to drop out of contention and after Hill went out of bounds second time round, before sending his fourth shot into the water, he sportingly conceded without making Schott putt for the win.
Schott, who was presented with the trophy by Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, said: “I have no idea. It’s just amazing, I’m just extremely happy, surprised ... I don’t know what’s happening right now. I’m just so happy.
“I could have done it the regular way, that would have also been fine. But to do it this way feels even more special so I’m just glad it happened this way.”
Hill, who equaled the course record of 61 in Friday’s second round, added to his two-shot overnight lead with an opening birdie after a superb approach, with Schott responding at the second before both players birdied the next.
The Scot was four clear after another gain at the fifth but bogeyed the sixth while Schott made birdie, cutting the lead to one before drawing level with a birdie at the next.
Schott bogeyed the eighth but led anyway as Hill made a double, and a birdie at the 10th took the German two ahead, only for a double-bogey of his own at the 11th to leave the pair all square again.
“It was tough, especially towards the end,” said Schott.
“The start was okay, because I was playing alright. It had good flow to it. Obviously, nerves kicked in from the back nine onwards. I was happy that I managed it okay, not perfect, but okay, and you guys saw what happened, so I’m very happy now.
Sergio Garcia had joined the leaders by that point after responding to an opening bogey with three birdies in four holes from the third and another three in succession from the ninth, as had Reed after his fifth gain of the day at the 12th.
Daniel Hillier carded six birdies in a blemish-free 66, his second six-under-par round of the week, to set the clubhouse target at 16-under as the leaders still on the course battled for supremacy.
Schott, Hill and Reed all reached 18-under with back-to-back birdies, Reed at the 13th and 14th with his rivals a hole behind.
Garcia’s challenge was left hanging by a thread after a double-bogey at the par-five 14th, as he eventually finished alongside Hillier on 16-under, and Reed dropped a shot at the 16th.
Schott and Hill missed the 17th green to the left before escaping with good chips, but while Hill holed his par putt, Schott made bogey.
Reed set a new clubhouse target of 17-under but when his birdie putt at the last agonizingly stayed up on the short side, Hill had a one-shot lead down the last.
But he sent his approach to the extreme left of the green, leaving a nasty putt up the slope by the side of the green which he was unable to get close. Schott was in similar territory but closer in, allowing him to save par while Hill made bogey to set up the playoff.
Reed found the bunker with his 73rd tee shot and went from there to the edge of another, with Schott and Hill both hitting the fairway and then the heart of the green.
Schott holed for par and despite a superb effort at his up-and-down, Reed was unable to respond and dropped out of contention. Hill held his nerve as he and Schott went back to the tee.
The Scot sent his next tee-shot out of bounds to the left, with Schott only just avoiding the water in response. He sent his approach right of the green but Hill found the water with his fourth and conceded after Schott chipped on.
Hill and Reed shared second with Garcia and Hillier fourth and France’s Ugo Coussaud a shot further back in sixth.
The championship provided invaluable experience for emerging golfers, with local players gaining exposure competing alongside Major champions and multiple DP World Tour winners.
Ahmed Alzayed, Ali Alkowari and Khalifa Almaraisi all teed it up at Royal Golf Club this week, with former Masters champions Garcia and Reed, and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington.
While the cut proved elusive, the experience of competing at the highest level of professional golf will prove invaluable.
“The competition comes to an end, but it’s not the end for me, I think it’s just the beginning,” said Alkowari.
“I’m happy with the result this year. I played 20 shots better than last year, so there are improvements. Hopefully, if I’m playing next year, it will be even better. Who knows, maybe even making the cut.”
A record crowd of 13,186, a 30 percent increase on last year’s attendance, watched the action across the four days.
