Twitter Reactions: Yasir Shah single-handedly takes New Zealand to the cleaners

After Babar Azam and Haris Sohail guided Pakistan to a position of command by the end of the second day, the home team’s spinners picked the bones out of New Zealand, especially Yasir Shah, who picked up an eight-wicket haul in the first innings. For the time being, the Blacks Caps are following on and behind by a significant 197 runs in the second Test of the two-match series in Dubai.

Yasir dictates terms

Jeet Raval and Tom Latham commenced proceedings and they built a 50-run partnership. Thereafter, leg-break bowler Yasir Shah ripped the heart out of the New Zealand-batting lineup. He castled Raval for 31 to strike first blood. Latham made 22 runs from 72 balls and became Shah’s second victim. From being 61/1, the Black Caps were bowled out for a paltry 90 runs in merely 35.3 overs.

Skipper Kane Williamson notched a quick-fire 28 from 37 balls, but it couldn’t stop Pakistan from garnering a lead of 328 runs. Yasir turned out to be absolutely unplayable as he ran throw New Zealand’s batting to finish with stupendous figures of 12.3-1-41-8. Apart from the top three, no other batsmen could cross the double-figure mark with six of them perishing for a duck.

Taylor and Latham steady the ship

It didn’t spring a surprise that the visitors were made to follow on. Raval and Latham tried to put their heads down, but Yasir got the better of Raval in the ninth over with the score at 10. Williamson and Latham tried to script a comeback with a partnership of 56 runs from 109 deliveries. Nevertheless, Shah found Williamson’s outside edge to get rid of him for 30 runs of 41 balls.

The on-field umpire didn’t adjudge the batsman out initially. Eventually, it was the Decision Review System (DRS) that came to Pakistan’s rescue and the decision was reversed. Latham and Ross Taylor ensured that New Zealand don’t lose any more wicket by the close of play on the third day. While Latham is batting on 44 from 141 balls, Taylor is one run short of a half-century.

Here is how Twitter reacted  

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