Sharjah: Mohammad Hafeez displayed his huge appetite for runs and tremendous form by cracking an unbeaten 178 to take Pakistan on track for a huge first innings score on the first day of the third and final Test match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
He showed no signs of tiredness despite having to fly to England to have his suspect bowling action tested on Monday and batted the whole day.
Hafeez’s seventh Test century, studded with 23 boundaries and three sixes, came off 262 balls. It was also his second successive ton after scores of 96 and an unbeaten 101 in the first Test at the Abu Dhabi Test match. He missed the second Test with a hamstring injury.
After passing the fitness test before the start, Hafeez steered Pakistan to top through a 44-run opening wicket partnership with Shaan Masood (12), then 87 runs with Azhar Ali (39) for the second wicket and an unbeaten 121 runs for the fourth wicket with Misbah-Ul-Haq (38 n.o.).
Pakistan won the all-important toss and elected to bat on a wicket that was devoid of grass and was literally sparkling under the sun. The drama began even before the first ball of the Test match was bowled.
Daniel Vettori, who returned to the New Zealand team after a gap of two years due to injuries, was given a guard of honour by his teammates. He became the most capped Test player for New Zealand, moving past Stephen Fleming and skipper Brendon McCullum fittingly allowed Vettori to lead the team onto the field.
Hafeez, who came in place of Taufeeq Umar, opened the innings with Shaan Masood. He hit the first ball of the match from Trent Boult past backward point for a boundary and picked up another one off the second ball of the second over from Tim Southee.
Masood started slowly scoring just one run from his first 19 balls. His first boundary came off Southee when he played a good length delivery past the square leg umpire.
Daniel Vettori was introduced in the ninth over and he bowled a maiden in his first over in Test cricket since July 2012. In his second over, Hafeez pulled him over mid-wicket for a six. The partnership between Hafeez and Masood swelled fast and they put on 44 runs in 16.5 overs when off spinner Mark Craig bowled Masood through the bat and pad gap for 12.
Azhar Ali stroked well and even hit Craig for a six to deep midwicket. He added 87 runs for the second wicket before Craig made Azhar play at a wide delivery from him to be caught behind for 39. Hafeez hit Craig for two consecutive boundaries. He turned Craig to square leg to reach his three figure mark.
New Zealand earned a huge success when Vettori trapped Younis Khan leg before for five. It was indeed the best wicket for Vettori to pick on return as it was the shortest knock that the inform Younis had played in this series.
Soon after tea with Pakistan at 186 for 3, skipper Misbah-Ul-Haq began to open out. He whipped Craig past mid-wicket for a boundary while Hafeez hit another six off Craig to long off.
Pakistan went past the 200-run mark with Hafeez and Misbah stroking confidently. Hafeez pulled Sodhi for two consecutive boundaries to move to 150. Misbah on 20 escaped being caught behind by wicketkeeper Bradley Watling off Sodhi. Misbah celebrated his luck by cutting the very next ball to the boundary. The second new ball taken in the 80th over but New Zealand bowlers could create no impact on a wicket which played easy throughout the day.
