Pakistan off to a good start in 354-run chase

ABU DHABI: Pakistan were given a solid start of 66 by lunch on the fifth and final day in the second Test after South Africa set a 354-run target for them at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Wednesday.

Openers Mohammad Hafeez (34) and Taufiq Umer (31) were unbeaten at the break as Pakistan needed another 288 runs in a minimum of 63 overs after South Africa declared their second innings at 203-5 in the morning.

With the pitch still not posing any danger for the batsmen the match is likely to end in a stalemate, ending the two-Test series without a result after the first Test in Dubai ended in a draw last week.

Both Hafeez and Umer hit four boundaries each as South Africa — led by Jacques Kallis after captain Graeme Smith injured his finger on Tuesday and was unable to take to the field — used five bowlers but met with no success.

Resuming at 173-4, South Africa,

De Villiers smites South Africa’s highest test score

ABUDHABI: Dashing batsman AB de Villiers became the highest scorer in a test innings for South Africa when he made 278 not out against Pakistan on the second day of the second Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Sunday.

The 24-year-old beat the previous best score in a Test innings of 277 hit by current South African skipper Graeme Smith, against England at Birmingham in 2003.

De Villier’s best helped South Africa declare their first innings at 584-9, soon after tea. He hit 23 boundaries and six sixes during his record-breaking 418-ball knock.

West Indian Brian Lara holds the record for the highest Test score of 400, made against England at Antigua in 2004.

The list for highest Test scorers for all ten Test playing countries are as following: (batsman, country, score, against, venue, year)

B. Lara West Indies 400 not out England Antigua

De Villiers smites South Africa’s highest test score

ABUDHABI: Dashing batsman AB de Villiers became the highest scorer in a test innings for South Africa when he made 278 not out against Pakistan on the second day of the second Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Sunday.

The 24-year-old beat the previous best score in a Test innings of 277 hit by current South African skipper Graeme Smith, against England at Birmingham in 2003.

De Villier’s best helped South Africa declare their first innings at 584-9, soon after tea. He hit 23 boundaries and six sixes during his record-breaking 418-ball knock.

West Indian Brian Lara holds the record for the highest Test score of 400, made against England at Antigua in 2004.

The list for highest Test scorers for all ten Test playing countries are as following: (batsman, country, score, against, venue, year)

B. Lara West Indies 400 not out England Antigua

Pakistan opts to filed first in Abu Dhabi Test

ABU DHABI: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and put South Africa into bat in the second and final Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Saturday.

Pakistan made three changes from the side that drew the first Test in Dubai on Tuesday, dropping Umar Akmal and Saeed Ajmal, while paceman Wahab Riaz returned home after suffering side strain.

They were replaced by Asad Shafiq, Tanveer Ahmed and Mohammad Sami. Both Ahmed, 31, and Shafiq, 24, are making their Test debuts.

South Africa kept faith in their first Test line-up.

Teams:

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Taufiq Umer, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Abdul Rehman, Adnan Akmal, Umar Gul, Tanveer Ahmed, Mohammad Sami

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Paul Harris, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Alviro

Kallis, Tsotsobe lead South Africa win over Pakistan

ABU DHABI: Paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe took four wickets and Jacques Kallis hit an unbeaten fifty to help a disciplined South Africa down Pakistan by eight wickets in the first one-day match here on Friday.

Tsotsobe took a career-best 4-27 off his ten tight overs to trigger a middle-order collapse and helped South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 203 before Kallis (66 retired hurt) saw off the target with 9.3 overs to spare.

The modest target was never beyond South Africa’s reach after Pakistan batsmen once again failed to take advantage of a good start on a flat Abu Dhabi Stadium, much to the disappointment of a 10,000 holiday crowd.

The 35-year-old Kallis, back after missing the limited over series against Zimbabwe at home and South Africa’s 2-0 win in the Twenty20 series which finished here on Wednesday due to injury, was at his usual best.

He steadied the

Tsotsobe’s best restricts Pakistan to 203

ABU DHABI: Lanky South African paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe carried his Twenty20 form into the 50-over game with a career-best feat to derail Pakistan to 203 in the first day-night international here on Friday.

The 26-year-old from Eastern Province took 4-27 off his ten tight overs as Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for a mere 46 runs after winning the toss and deciding to bat on a flat Abu Dhabi Stadium pitch.

Tsotsobe, who took five wickets in South Africa’s 2-0 win in the Twenty20 series which finished here on Wednesday, rocked the Pakistan middle-order with a burst of three wickets off just nine balls during his second four-over spell.

Tsotsobe’s effort backed by disciplined spin bowling by Johan Botha (2-40) put brakes on Pakistan’s innings after Mohammad Hafeez (68) and returning Younis Khan (54) put on 114 for the second wicket.

Tsotsobe

Tsotsobe’s best restricts Pakistan to 203

ABU DHABI: Lanky South African paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe carried his Twenty20 form into the 50-over game with a career-best feat to derail Pakistan to 203 in the first day-night international here on Friday.

The 26-year-old from Eastern Province took 4-27 off his ten tight overs as Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for a mere 46 runs after winning the toss and deciding to bat on a flat Abu Dhabi Stadium pitch.

Tsotsobe, who took five wickets in South Africa’s 2-0 win in the Twenty20 series which finished here on Wednesday, rocked the Pakistan middle-order with a burst of three wickets off just nine balls during his second four-over spell.

Tsotsobe’s effort backed by disciplined spin bowling by Johan Botha (2-40) put brakes on Pakistan’s innings after Mohammad Hafeez (68) and returning Younis Khan (54) put on 114 for the second wicket.

Tsotsobe

Pakistan win toss and bat in second Twenty20

ABU DHABI: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and decided to bat in the second and final Twenty20 match against South Africa at the Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Wednesday.

Both teams made no changes from the sides which played the first Twenty20 here on Tuesday, a match South Africa won by six wickets.

The two teams also play five one-day internationals and two Tests in the series shifted to the United Arab Emirates due to security fears in Pakistan.

The first one-dayer will be played here on Friday.

Teams:

Pakistan

Shahid Afridi (capt), Shahzaib Hasan, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Zulqarnain Haider, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar

South Africa

Johan Botha (capt), Graeme Smith, Loots Bosman, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, David Miller, Albie Morkel,

South Africa beat Pakistan in first Twenty20 by 6 wickets

South Africa thrashed Pakistan by six wickets in the first Twenty20 international in Abu Dhabi. All the earning from the match will be donated to the flood affectees of Pakistan.
Paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Captain Johan Botha took three wickets apiece as Pakistan, for whom this is a home series, were limited to 119 all out. Misbah-ul-Haq made an undefeated, 32-ball 27 while skipper Shahid Afridi hit 25 off only seven deliveries.JP Duminy hit 41 and Colin Ingram 46 not out as South Africa reached their target with 10 balls to spare. South Africa left out star men Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis and made an untidy start, with Albie Morkel’s first over going for 14 including four separate wides. Umar Akmal (14) became the leading run-scorer in T20 internationals this year but pulled Albie Morkel straight to mid-wicket, and Abdul Razzaq and Zulqarnain Haider quickly followed to leave Pakistan 91-7. Misbah smashed three full tosses to the ropes in the last two overs but the rest of the tail offered little. South Africa slipped to 26-3 as Shoaib Akhtar removed Bosman and AB de Villiers in the same over, but Duminy and Ingram rebuilt and brought up their 50 partnership in 7.3 overs. The two teams play the second Twenty20 at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Wednesday ahead of the first of two one-day internationals at the same venue on Friday. The series then moves to Dubai where the last three one-day matches and the first Test will be staged. Abu Dhabi will host the second Test.

New Zealand Bats Against Pakistan In The Third ODI

New Zealand Bats Against Pakistan In The Third ODI: ABU DHABI: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and opted to bat in the third and final one-day international against Pakistan at the Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Monday.

New Zealand Bats Against Pakistan In The Third ODI:ABU DHABI: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and opted to bat in the third and final one-day international against Pakistan at the Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Monday.

The three-match series is tied at 1-1 after Pakistan won the first match by 138 runs on Tuesday before New Zealand came back by winning the second by 64 runs on Friday.

New Zealand remained unchanged from the last match but Pakistan left out middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf to bring back teenager Umer Akmal, who played the first match.

After the one-day series the teams will move to Dubai where they play two Twenty20 matches on November 12 and 13.

Squads:
Pakistan: Younus Khan (capt), Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Umer Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), Brendon McCullum, Aaron Redmond, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Neil Broom, Tim Southee, Shane Bond, Kyle Mills
Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (AUS), Nadeem Ghouri (PAK)
Tv Umpire: Zameer Haider (PAK)
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)