Hasan, Yasir set Pakistan on victory path in first Test

Pakistani bowlers Hasan Ali and Yasir Shah snapped five wickets apiece to give Pakistan an upper hand on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Hasan clinched his maiden five-wicket haul with figures 5-45, while Yasir finished with 5-110, his 14th five-wicket feat in an innings as New Zealand collapsed from 220-4 to 249 all out soon after tea.

That left Pakistan with 176 to win the Test and at close, they were 37-0 with Imam-ul-Haq on 25 not out and Mohammad Hafeez unbeaten on eight, needing another 139 to win with all ten wickets in hand and two days to play. 

For the Kiwis, Bradley-John Watling with 59 and Henry Nicholls with 55 had defied Pakistan in the post-lunch session with a fighting stand of 112 for the fifth wicket but Yasir took four wickets off just 15 balls to bring his team back into contention.

Seeing the circumstances, Pakistan has high hopes of enforcing a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.