Pakistan need just two wickets on the last day in Abu Dhabi to draw first blood versus New Zealand and extend their winning run to three Tests.
Misbah-ul-Haq’s side are having a fine season in the United Arab Emirates, whitewashing Australia 2-0 and being firmly on course to go ahead in this three-game series.
Mohammad Hafeez today became Pakistan’s fourth centurion of the match before Misbah declared and his bowlers reduced the Black Caps to 174 for eight at stumps.
Hafeez, who hit 96 in a mammoth first-innings 566 for three declared, started day four with five of 15 for no wicket, a lead of 319.
He cut and drove with aplomb and, despite seeing Azhar Ali and Younus Khan being trapped in front by the erratic Ish Sodhi in the twenties, moved to three figures from 130 balls.
Hafeez’s milestone immediately prompted the end of the innings, leaving New Zealand theoretically chasing 480 but realistically seeking to survive for at least 144 overs, which would be their third-longest fourth innings.
Although first-innings centurion Tom Latham and skipper Brendon McCullum shared a fifty partnership for the opening wicket, they and Ross Taylor fell in consecutive overs of spin, McCullum for a smooth 39.
Like Latham, Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson perished in the twenties, Williamson an over before Rahat Ali dismissed Jake Neesham and BJ Watling for ducks.
Once Anderson and Tim Southee were back in the hutch – the latter going to highly economical left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar – Mark Craig and Sodhi resisted with unbeaten 27s to take play to Thursday.