ABU DHABI: While Pakistan start their quest for a home series victory over New Zealand in Abu Dhabi today, for leg-spinner Yasir Shah there is a personal milestone up for grabs in the UAE capital.
The spin sensation is set to become the fastest player to reach 200 Test wickets in the history of the game, needing just five wickets to smash the record held by Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett, who reached the 200 mark in 36 Test matches, way back in 1936.
The third Test match in the New Zealand series will be Shah’s 33rd.
He took eight wickets in the first Test in Abu Dhabi, but Pakistan fell agonizingly short, losing by four runs before leveling the series at 1-1 — fired to victory by Shah’s 14-wicket haul which inflicted an innings and 16-run defeat on New Zealand.
And Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed agreed that the team’s hopes will be pinned on Shah.
“The way Yasir is bowling he has got his rhythm back and we hope that with the return of his form he will do his best to win us this Test and the series,” said Sarfraz on Sunday.
Until last year the Sheikh Zayed stadium had been a happy hunting ground for Pakistan, having won six of the ten Tests with four draws.
But they lost to Sri Lanka last year and against New Zealand after set low targets of 136 and 176 runs respectively, a fact Sarfraz said hurt his team.
“We need to bat long and that we did in the last Test,” said Sarfraz whose team put a big 418-5 declared in Dubai. “(The) toss will again be crucial because in Asia teams like to bat first and post big totals.”
Besides Yasir, Pakistan will also hope fast-rising left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi gives them edge, replacing medium pacer Mohammad Abbas who is ruled out with a shoulder injury.
The 18-year-old pacer took back to back four wicket hauls in the 1-1 drawn one-day series against New Zealand last month before getting seven wickets against England Lions in a four-day match, also in Abu Dhabi.
“Shaheen is improving day by day and has talent,” said Sarfraz of Shaeen who is six and a half feet tall.
Sarfraz admits New Zealand can be dangerous as they have the motivation to win an away series against Pakistan for the first time since 1969.
“New Zealand is a good team with experienced players who know Test cricket well,” said Sarfraz. “They have good bowlers so we will also try to play good cricket.”
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson admitted Yasir will be a dangerous proposition.
“He (Yasir) is a world class bowler,” said Williamson. “He clearly had a fantastic last game and bowled a number of very nice deliveries and used the conditions really, really well.”
New Zealand will gain confidence from their second innings batting with return to form of Ross Taylor who made 81, Henry Nicholls scored 77 and Tom Latham’s 50.
“There were some positives we would need to build from,” said Williamson of his team’s 312 all out. “It’s really an exciting prospect and the guys really are looking forward to the decider.:
New Zealand have the option of resting Trent Boult and bringing in Tim Southee, who has yet to play in the series.
Yasir Shah out to make Test cricket history in crucial Abu Dhabi decider against New Zealand
Yasir Shah out to make Test cricket history in crucial Abu Dhabi decider against New Zealand
- Fpr Yasir Shah there is a personal milestone up for grabs in the UAE capital
- Spin sensation is set to become the fastest player to reach 200 Test wickets in the history of the game
Rampant Sabalenka sweeps past Jovic into Australian Open semifinals
MELBOURNE: Relentless top seed Aryna Sabalenka muscled past American teenager Iva Jovic and into the Australian Open semifinals Tuesday to accelerate her bid for a third Melbourne title.
The Belarusian powered home 6-3, 6-0 in blazing heat to set up a clash with either third seed Coco Gauff or 12th seed Elina Svitolina.
It booked the 27-year-old a 14th career Grand Slam semifinal and fourth in a row at the season-opening major.
Sabalenka has won twice in Melbourne, in 2023 and 2024, and seemed destined for another crown last year but was upset in the final by Madison Keys.
Keys’ title defense is over, beaten in the fourth round by Jessica Pegula.
“These teenagers have been testing me in the last couple of rounds,” said Sabalenka, who is on a 10-match win streak after victory at the lead-up Brisbane International.
“It was a tough match. Don’t look at the score, it wasn’t easy at all. She played incredible tennis. Pushed me to to one step better level. And I’m super happy with the win.”
The match was played under an open roof on Rod Laver Arena with the tournament Heat Stress Scale yet to reach the level where it could be closed.
Temperatures are forecast to hit a blistering 45C with a peak of 38C reached during the match.
Defeat brought an end to a breakthrough tournament for 18-year-old Jovic, the youngest player in the women’s top 100 and seeded 29.
She stunned seventh seed and two-time Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini and blitzed past experienced Yulia Putintseva for the loss of just one game to announce herself to the world.
But Sabalenka was a bridge too far.
The world number one safely held serve to lay down a marker, blasting an ace to set up game point and an unreturnable serve to win it.
Jovic made some early errors and sent the ball long on break point to surrender her serve and fall 2-0 behind.
Sabalenka held to pile on the pressure before Jovic fended off a break point on her next serve to get on the scoreboard.
But despite some long rallies as she got into the match and three break points as Sabalenka served for the set, the top seed’s brute force proved too much.
Sabalenka then broke her immediately to assert control of set two and Jovic was spent, with another break for 3-0 then a double fault to slump 5-0 down, signalling the end.
