WELLINGTON, Dec 29: Pakistan were just 28 runs away from victory against New Zealand after Shoaib Akhtar ripped through the host’s batting taking six wickets on the fourth day of the second Test on Monday.

Pakistan ended the day on 246 for three after captain Inzamam-ul-Haq spurned the additional eight overs on offer to claim the victory much to the surprise of the New Zealand players.

The tourists must now rely on the weather to stay fine to complete the task on Tuesday.

When asked why Pakistan decided to wait until the fifth day to reach the 274-run target, manager Haroon Rashid said: “We were doing fine, so why not come back tomorrow?”

Inzamam was on 57 and Yousuf Youhana on 73, having virtually settled matters with a 90-run unbeaten partnership.

New Zealand resumed the day on 75 for three but Shoaib made light work of their batsmen in the morning session as the home side collapsed to be all out for 103 in their second innings.

After missing the drawn first Test in Hamilton because of a hamstring injury, the pace bowler took six for 30 to finish the match with 11-78.

New Zealand added 20 runs to their overnight score before the innings fell apart and they lost seven wickets for just eight runs.

After compiling a steady 41, opener Mark Richardson swiped at a wide delivery from Shoaib and edged a catch to wicket-keeper Moin Khan.

Scott Styris went for a first-ball duck when Shoaib ripped out his middle stump with a yorker and Craig McMillan survived the hat trick delivery when he was just able to get his bat behind a similar ball.

McMillan, who was foolishly run out in the first Test, was involved in another farcical mix up that led to the loss of nightwatchman Daryl Tuffey for 13.

He stroked the ball wide of mid-on and set off for the run, but changed his mind halfway down the pitch and sent Tuffey back.

Despite a clumsy pick up and throw by Danish Kaneria and some confusion between two fielding players going for the returned ball at the bowler’s end, Tuffey was still unable to make up his ground.

Shabbir Ahmed got into the act with two lbw decisions to remove Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori, before Shoaib came back to dismiss Robbie Hart and Ian Butler in the same over.

Imran Farhat was the first Pakistan batsman out, for 14, when he attacked an Oram bouncer down the leg side and gloved the ball to Hart behind the stumps.

Fellow opener Taufiq Umar went for 34 lbw to Vettori and the other Pakistan wicket was that of the impressive Yasir Hameed, who got an edge to a Butler delivery and was caught by Hart for 59.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 366 (J.D.P. Oram 97, M.H. Richardson 82, Shoaib Akhtar 5-48).