Karachi, Jan 6 (AP) New Zealand spinners continued to make inroads and reduced Pakistan to 125-5 on an intriguing final day of the second test on Friday.

Offspinner Michael Bracewell got the key wickets of Babar Azam and Shan Masood in the space of six deliveries and Ish Sodhi clean bowled Imam-ul-Haq off a ball that spun back from the bowlers' footmarks to leave the home side still needing 194 runs in a maximum 55 overs left in the final test.

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Sarfaraz Ahmed, who scored three successive half centuries since being recalled after almost four years, was unbeaten on 29 and lefthanded Saud Shakeel was not out on 16 at lunch as New Zealand continued to press hard for a series victory in an extended 2-1/2-hour first session because of Friday prayers.

Sarfaraz and Shakeel were the mainstay of Pakistan when they made half centuries in the second innings in the thrilling drawn first test last week as New Zealand threatened to chase down 138 before bad light intervened.

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Both batters defied New Zealand in the latter half of the first session with a 45-run stand after Pakistan had lost Babar for 27 and Masood for 35 in Bracewell's successive overs. Shakeel showed similar temperament that saw him making a marathon unbeaten 125 in over eight hours in Pakistan's first innings total of 408.

Pakistan, in pursuit of its highest-ever successful run-chase of 319 runs in test matches, lost two wickets without a run late on the fourth day after New Zealand had declared at 277-5 for an overall lead of 318 runs.

Resuming without a run on board, lefthanders Masood and Imam both tried to counterattack New Zealand while going for boundaries. Masood drove Matt Henry for three boundaries on the off-side and Imam drove Sodhi straight off the first ball he faced from the leg-spinner.

But Sodhi won the battle against Imam, who made 12 but needlessly walked out of his crease to a delivery which turned back into the lefthander after pitching on the rough and knocked back his off stump.

Masood and Babar added 42 runs before Bracewell struck in quick time. Babar got a big inside edge while attempting to tickle the offspinner off his hips and Tom Latham grabbed a splendid catch down the legside.

Masood made his top score since his recall to the test cricket after almost two years during Pakistan's 3-0 loss against England before he too paid a price when he tried to loft the Bracewell over mid-off and Kane Williamson took a well-judged running catch. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)