Opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez carried his bat through the first day in smashing an unbeaten 178 and spurring Pakistan to 281-3 against New Zealand in the third and decisive test on Wednesday.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq, dropped on 20 by wicketkeeper BJ Watling off Ish Sodhi’s sharp legspin, was not out on 38 after he won the toss and elected to bat on a subcontinent-like flat pitch.
Offspinner Mark Craig took 2-67, while Younis Khan was unexpectedly out for 5, trapped lbw by Vettori.
Craig gave New Zealand the breakthrough in his first over when he clean-bowled Shan Masood (12) at 44-1.
New Zealand recalled Vettori in place of allrounder James Neesham. Vettori was in the last test in which New Zealand played three specialist spinners, in 1998 in Sri Lanka.
Vettori, whose last test was in July 2012, became the sole holder of New Zealand’s most test caps in his 112th match, leaving behind former captain Stephen Fleming.
In his fourth over, the 35-year-old Vettori claimed Khan, who went for an unsuccessful television referral at 160-3.
But in Vettori 12 overs for the day, he could not claim the wicket of Hafeez.
