Mount Maunganui, New Zealand: Kyle Jamieson struck early to have Pakistan 30 for one at stumps after a Kane Williamson century anchored New Zealand’s 431 on day two of the first Test at Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
Abid Ali was not out 19 with nightwatchman Mohammad Abbas yet to score.
Shan Masood was dismissed for 10 when he poked at a Jamieson ball straying down the leg side and was well caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling.
It was an uncomfortable stay for Masood who had earlier been dropped at third slip by substitute Daryl Mitchell, who was on the field while Neil Wagner continued to receive treatment after being hit by a Shaheen Afridi yorker while batting.
New Zealand, having started the day at 222 for three, added a further 209 before Wagner was the last man out.
The innings was headlined by Williamson’s 129, his 23rd Test century, with sizeable contributions from Watling (67) and Henry Nicholls (56) to go with Ross Taylor’s 70 on the first day.
It was a commendable performance by New Zealand after being sent into bat on a green wicket and with Afridi and Mohammad Abbas making life difficult with swing and seam on the first day.
Although there was not the same movement on day two, the drying pitch started to show signs of turn which brought spin into play with Yasir Shah taking three wickets including the prized scalp of Williamson.
Nicholls, who had partnered Williamson in a 133-run stand for the fourth wicket, was the first to fall, bizarrely departing the field when, if he had argued his case, would have been allowed to stay.
He was given out caught off the gloves, and after consulting with Williamson he decided not to seek a review when replays later showed the ball hit his forearm and did not brush either glove or bat.
Williamson, a model of patience and concentration, needed 261 balls to bring up his century, his slowest Test hundred, but once that milestone passed he picked up the pace and needed only 36 more deliveries to get to 129.
The introduction of Yasir Shah brought the end of the New Zealand captain.
With his third ball the legspinner found enough turn to catch the edge of the bat and Haris Sohail took a smart one-handed catch.
Watling, who scored a double century against England on the same Bay Oval wicket a year ago, took over as the batting mainstay.
He featured in a 36-run stand with Mitchell Santner (19) and 66 with Jamieson (32).
After Tim Southee’s nine-ball duck, Watling and Wagner put on 33 before Watling nicked a wide Afridi delivery to Yasir Shah at gully.
It was a productive day for Shah who also took the wickets of Southee and Wagner (19) to return figures of three for 113 while Afridi took four for 109.
Jamieson strikes as Pakistan stumble in reply to New Zealand’s 431
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Jamieson strikes as Pakistan stumble in reply to New Zealand’s 431
- New Zealand, having started the day at 222 for three, added a further 209 before Wagner was the last man out
- It was a commendable performance by New Zealand with swing and seam on the first day
Pakistan begins talks with Saudi delegation on local vaccine manufacturing
- Health ministry has warned vaccine import costs could rise from $400 million to $1.2 billion by 2031
- Local vaccine manufacturing would strengthen health security and help conserve foreign exchange
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday formally began discussions with a high-level Saudi delegation on establishing local vaccine manufacturing, as Islamabad seeks to reduce import dependence and prepare for the eventual end of international funding support for its national immunization program.
The talks come amid Pakistan’s broader push to strengthen health security and industrial capacity. The country of more than 240 million people currently imports all vaccines used in its national immunization campaigns, relying heavily on international partners to help cover costs.
Officials say local vaccine manufacturing would not only strengthen health security but also help conserve foreign exchange and support Pakistan’s longer-term economic stability as the country looks to cut costly imports and build export-oriented industrial capacity.
According to the Ministry of National Health Services, the eleven-member Saudi delegation is led by Nizar Al-Hariri, senior adviser to Saudi Arabia’s minister of industry, and is visiting Pakistan as part of efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation in health, pharmaceutical manufacturing and industrial collaboration.
“Practical progress is being made toward the local production of vaccines for 13 diseases in Pakistan,” the health ministry said in a statement, quoting Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal who met the delegation in Islamabad.
Pakistani officials presented detailed briefings on current vaccine demand, existing infrastructure and production capacity.
“Collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the health sector will set an example for the entire region,” the ministry said.
Kamal told the visiting delegation Pakistan is the world’s fifth most populous country, with around 6.2 million children born each year, adding that the country’s annual population growth is roughly equivalent to the population of New Zealand.
He said the government currently provides vaccines for 13 diseases free of cost but does not manufacture any of them domestically, forcing Pakistan to import vaccines at an annual cost of about $400 million.
According to the ministry, international partners currently cover 49 percent of those costs, with the remainder borne by the Pakistani government. However, Kamal warned that this external support is expected to end after 2031.
“If vaccines are not manufactured locally, the annual cost could rise to $1.2 billion by 2031, which would place a heavy burden on the national economy,” the ministry quoted him as saying.
Pakistan regularly conducts nationwide immunization campaigns against diseases including polio, measles, rubella and hepatitis. This week, it launched a seven-day polio vaccination drive aimed at inoculating more than 45 million children.
