New Zealand on Thursday were on top of their game as they declare their second innings at 277/5 setting up a target of 319 runs to decide the Test series against Pakistan.

Both Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell scored 74 each as they put the visitors in the commanding position on day four at the National Bank Cricket Arena.

Pakistan made a good comeback earlier in the game grabbing three key wickets to restrict New Zealand to 151-4 at tea, however, Bracewell and Blundell had the other ideas as the put up a 127-run stand for the fifth wicket to take the game away from the Babar XI.

In reply to New Zealand’s 319-run target, Pakistan lost two wickets thanks to strikes from Tim Southee and Ish Sodhi. They reduced Pakistan to 0/2 at stumps with Imam ul Haq yet to go off the mark.

Earlier, Pakistan pegged back the visitors from 76-1 at lunch with the wickets of Tom Latham (62), Kane Williamson (41) and Henry Nicholls (five).

Latham was smartly caught off a miscued flick at short mid-wicket by Abrar Ahmed from fast-bowler Naseem Shah.

With the total unmoved on 114, in the next over Ahmed trapped Williamson leg-before. Hasan Ali had Nicholls caught soon after as New Zealand lost three wickets off 50 balls for 14 runs.

Field umpires Alex Wharf and Aleem Dar had a horrible day with three of their decisions overturned.

New Zealand were jolted in the second over of their innings when Mir Hamza bowled Conway with his first delivery.

It was the first time Conway fell without scoring in his 12-match Test career.

Pakistan wasted two leg-before referrals on Williamson when the batter was on seven and nine, while Latham overturned a decision against him on 36 – all off Ahmed.

At the start of the day, Pakistan were dismissed for 408 after adding just one run to their overnight score, in response to New Zealand’s 449 first-innings total.

Spinner Ish Sodhi had last man Ahmed trapped leg-before for nought, leaving centurion Saud Shakeel stranded on the other end.

Shakeel was unbeaten on 125 after a marathon resistance-packed 493 minutes at the crease, hitting 17 boundaries in his maiden hundred.

Spinner Ajaz Patel finished with 3-88 and Sodhi 3-95.

The two-match series is tied after the first Test – also in Karachi – ended in a draw.