Following their 2-0 Test series victory over Australia, the Pakistan cricket team stay in the United Arab Emirates to play a three-match rubber against New Zealand. Here is a look at the past five series between these two sides ahead of the first Test, which starts in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Pakistan in New Zealand 2010/11, Pakistan 1-0
This one will always be special to Misbah-ul-Haq, his first series win as Pakistan captain. Misbah, below, starred with the bat, with three fifties in three innings, but it was yet another fresh bowling attack that won it for Pakistan. Should have won it 2-0, choosing not to chase a gettable target in the second Test.
Pakistan in New Zealand 2009/10, 1-1
Given the kind of weak teams Pakistan had beaten New Zealand with in the past, an attack of Mohammed Asif, Mohammed Amir and Umar Gul should have won this one, too. They were trumped by an eight-wicket haul by Shane Bond, above, in the first Test in Dunedin, scripting a narrow 32-run win. After being thumped in the second, New Zealand were on course for a series win until rain denied them.
Pakistan in New Zealand 2003/04, Pakistan 1-0
Two Tests, two crazy New Zealand collapses and one Pakistan win. In the first, Mohammed Sami, below, reduced them from 42 for two to 96 for eight but rain intervened. In the second Shoaib Akhtar took over as the hosts went from 73 for two to 103 all out. That turned a 170-run deficit into a gettable target of 274; Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana took them home.
New Zealand in Pakistan 2002, Pakistan 1-0
A bomb at the hotel where New Zealand were staying in Karachi meant the tour had to be cut short and the second Test was cancelled without a ball being bowled. The tourists had been walloped in the first Test in Lahore, one of Pakistan’s near-perfect Test performances. Inzamam, above, hit a triple hundred, Akhtar ran through the visitors and Pakistan won by an innings and 324 runs.
Pakistan in New Zealand 2000/01, 1-1
Pakistan began brilliantly under Moin Khan. Sami took eight wickets on debut in a completely false precursor of what was to come, and Pakistan won by 299 runs. But the tour fell apart for the visitors and 13 wickets for Daryl Tuffey, below, and Chris Martin in Hamilton helped them level comfortably. In between Saqlain Mushtaq scored a hundred.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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