Pakistan vs New Zealand
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Player of the Match in a Test that Pakistan almost lost, and Player of the Series in a home series that Pakistan almost lost; this could have added to Pakistan’s humiliating home Test series against Australia and England last year.
Sarfaraz Ahmed had a dream comeback, and only a win in Karachi. Which eluded Pakistan by 15 runs and New Zealand by one wicket with three overs remaining before both teams shook hands for a draw as it could have gone either way – could have sweetened Sarfaraz Khan’s comeback.
Nonetheless, after being sidelined and ignored for nearly four years, former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed replaced the media-favored Mohammad Rizwan for the New Zealand series in December. Pakistan having its own Boxing Day Test and New Year’s Test this time – and put in stellar performances throughout the two-Test series. Which ended in a 0-0 draw on Thursday.
Pakistan were reeling at 80/5 in the chase of 319 before Sarfaraz Ahmed and Saud Shakeel rescued them with grit and tenacity. Agha Salman and Naseem Shah thumped the ball, bringing Pakistan closer to the target. With only one wicket remaining and numbers 10 and 11 batting, Naseem and Abrar decided it was best to avoid a loss while attempting to hit more runs in pursuit of the target.
Pakistan’s final pair, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed, survived 21 balls in fading light after Sarfaraz Ahmed scored a fighting tonne to deny New Zealand victory in the second and final Test at the National Stadium in Karchi. After dismissing Sarfaraz on 118, New Zealand was on the verge of winning the series. However, Naseem (15 not out) and Abrar (7 not out) guided Pakistan to 304/9 in pursuit of a 319-run target before the on-field umpires declared the lights inoperable with three overs remaining.
After the second game between Pakistan and New Zealand ended in a thrilling draw, fans took to Twitter to praise the beauty of Test cricket.
Pakistan were on the verge of defeat at lunch, with the total on 125-5. But Sarfaraz led the fightback with a 123-run sixth-wicket stand in three hours with Saud Shakeel, who made 32.
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Pakistan reached 179-5 at tea, needing 140 runs in the remaining 31 overs — a point at which Sarfaraz accelerated the run rate by smashing three boundaries and a six off spinner Michael Bracewell before driving pacer Matt Henry for two to reach his century.
However, Pakistan’s target was out of reach after losing Sarfaraz, Hasan Ali (five), and Salman in the space of 14 runs.
In Pakistan, the previous best winning chase in a Test was 314 by the home team against Australia in Karachi in 1994.
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