LONDON: Azhar Ali’s resolute half-century helped Pakistan reach 139 for three in reply to New Zealand’s 274 on day two of the third and final test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
After the very slow day’s cricket the abiding memory will be the announcement from struggling Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez that this will be his last Test. The 38-year-old has managed just 66 runs in seven innings since scoring a hundred against Australia in Dubai last month following his Test recall after two years away.
The Abu Dhabi Test is Hafeez’s 55th since making his debut against Bangladesh in 2003. He has so far scored 3,644 runs with 10 hundreds and 12 half centuries, with the chance to add to that in his second innings in this Test.
“I feel time is up. I am announcing my retirement and feel happy that I worked hard in my career,” said Hafeez, who has also played 203 one-day internationals and 89 Twenty20s.
“I had been thinking of retiring from Tests for the last two weeks and thought that now is the time to leave the five-day format but I will continue to play limited-over matches.”
In the absence of runs from the outgoing opener — who was out for a duck, taken at slip off the bowling of Trent Boult — it was left to Azhar to provide ballast to the Pakistan innings. The batsman finished the day unbeaten on 62 off 169 balls, to help Pakistan recover from the loss of two early wickets to trail New Zealand by 135 runs with seven wickets remaining.
Asad Shafiq was unbeaten on 26 after the pair shared an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 54 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.New Zealand pace bowler Boult , having removed Hafeez then got rid of Imam-ul-Haq with only 17 runs on the board, both openers caught by Tim Southee in the slips.
With Pakistan facing a familiar top-order collapse, Azhar stitched together a 68-run stand with Haris Sohail (34) to ease their nerves.
A well-set Sohail was dismissed when he edged Southee to wicketkeeper BJ Watling, but Azhar and Shafiq dropped anchor to ensure Pakistan did not suffer any more losses.
Earlier, New Zealand added 45 runs to their overnight score of 229 for seven, with Watling finishing unbeaten on 77.
Off-spinner Bilal Asif, who picked up two wickets on Monday, completed his second five-wicket haul in Tests.
Debutant William Somerville was bowled for his overnight score of 12 after he failed to read Asif’s sharp turn and the same bowler had Ajaz Patel caught at slip and bowled Boult to finish with figures of five for 65.
New Zealand won the opening test in Abu Dhabi by four runs before Pakistan levelled the three-match series with victory in the second test in Dubai by an innings and 16 runs.
Pakistan resolute against New Zealand as Mohammad Hafeez announces Test retirement
Pakistan resolute against New Zealand as Mohammad Hafeez announces Test retirement
- Opener has struggled from runs recently, managing just 66 runs in seven innings since scoring a hundred against Australia in Dubai last month.
- Pakistan show backbone in crucial winner-takes-it-all Test in Abu Dhabi.
Real Sociedad end Barca winning streak to tighten Liga title race
- The Catalan giants, who hit the woodwork four times and had two goals disallowed, now only lead rivals Real Madrid by a single point at the top of the table
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Real Sociedad damaged Barcelona’s title defense ambitions as Goncalo Guedes gave them a surprise 2-1 La Liga victory on Sunday as Hansi Flick’s side fell to a first defeat in 12 matches.
The Catalan giants, who hit the woodwork four times and had two goals disallowed, now only lead rivals Real Madrid by a single point at the top of the table after Alvaro Arbeloa’s side beat Levante on Saturday.
Hosts Real Sociedad, now unbeaten in four games under new American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, had Carlos Soler sent off late on but managed to hold on to triumph and climb up to eighth.
“I think we deserved to win today, we had a lot of chances, but in the end you have to put them away,” Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong told DAZN.
“We played well but we didn’t win... their goalkeeper had a very good game.”
Sociedad shot-stopper Alex Remiro made several crucial saves.
“Three great points and a great game,” said Remiro.
“We’ve started this year in great form... this is the energy we have, how we’ve changed (recently).”
In a frantic start to a compelling game at the rainy Reale Arena, both teams had goals ruled out.
La Real had the ball in the net inside 30 seconds when Mikel Oyarzabal headed home Guedes’s cross, but had strayed offside.
At the other end, Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez drilled home from range but Dani Olmo had committed a foul in the build-up and it was ruled out.
With teenage winger Lamine Yamal keen to take on defenders, Barca got in often down the right flank. The 18-year-old teed up Olmo who fired high over the bar when he might have sent the Catalans ahead.
Yamal found the net himself but the goal was ruled out for an extremely tight offside, before Real Sociedad took the lead against the run of play.
Oyarzabal lashed home Guedes’s cross with a blistering volley inside Joan Garcia’s near post.
Yamal was felled just inside the area before half-time but although the referee pointed to the spot, a VAR review showed that the youngster was offside again and it was canceled out.
Remiro heroics
Barcelona turned up the pressure in the second half and Real Sociedad were left depending on Remiro and the frame of the goal to keep the Catalans at bay.
Olmo crashed a shot against the post from Lopez’s cross and then Remiro denied the Barca midfielder with a fine near-post save.
Remiro then tipped substitute Robert Lewandowski’s header against the crossbar with the save of the night.
Another Barca substitute, Marcus Rashford, eventually pulled the champions level, heading Yamal’s cross home after 70 minutes.
However, the hosts immediately regained their advantage after Barca goalkeeper Garcia initially saved Carlos Soler’s shot. The midfielder was able to gather the rebound and cross for Guedes, who fired La Real ahead again.
They should have got a third when Garcia, out of his goal, had no chance of saving Oyarzabal’s effort but Pau Cubarsi headed the ball off the line.
Barcelona came within centimeters of an equalizer when Joao Cancelo, on his second debut for the club, crossed for Jules Kounde, who headed against the crossbar.
Soler was dismissed for an ugly foul on Pedri before nine minutes of stoppage time were added on.
Rashford hit the post directly from a corner kick as Barca pushed until the end but could not find a way through.
