5 standout Test Performances in 2018

Kane Williamson creating history for Kiwis in UAE

Kane Williamson scripted a spectacular victory for Kiwis against Pakistan in 3rd Test

New Zealand toured UAE for a three-Test series after a break of 7 months. Playing in spin-friendly surfaces had always been a challenge for Kiwis though they had posted above average to impressive performances in their previous series.

They scraped through a narrow 4 run win in the first Test as Pakistani batsman imploded to lose their last six wickets for 24 runs when all they needed was to bat with common sense with just 28 runs to win. Debutant Ajaz Patel was a major destroyer claiming five wickets in the second innings.

Pakistan fought back in the second Test and handed a huge innings defeat to Black Caps to level the series, thanks to spinner Yasir Shah's mind-blowing match numbers of 14 wickets for 184.

In the decider at Abu Dhabi, NZ batted first and scored 274 runs on the back of Kane Williamson's masterful 89. Though Yasir Shah again did the damage for Kiwis reducing them to 72/4, Williamson steadied the ship in the company of BJ Watling. They forged a 102 run partnership before the skipper got out on the verge of a hundred. It has been a hallmark of Williamson's career to miss centuries after getting to 80s or 90s.

Pakistan scored 348 in their first innings getting themselves a handy 74 run lead. In the second innings, before they offset the lead, when Kiwis lost their top 4 wickets including that of experienced Ross Taylor, the writing was almost on the wall.

Skipper Williamson steadied the ship in the company of Henry Nicholls batting with utmost caution. Both of them made Yasir Shah and company toil hard without further success. They played session by session for the entire Day 4 and got Kiwis to driver's seat for the first time in the match. This time unlike the first innings, the skipper managed to script his 19th Test century.

By the time Williamson departed on the fifth day at the score of 139, the lead was nearing 200 and NZ were out of trouble. He took a bold and sporty decision of declaring well before the lunch of Day 5, giving almost 80 overs for Pakistan to chase a gettable 280. His bowlers did rest of the job by bowling out the opponents for just 156.

The victory marked the first series win for Kiwis at UAE and they had beaten Pakistan in a series away from home for the first time in 49 years. For his brilliant twin knocks and his display of bold captaincy, Kane Williamson won "Man of the Match" award. It would be one of those Tests which will be remembered by Kiwis for long.