Sports

Pakistan in strong position due to Babar’s century

Captain Babar Azam’s unbeaten century and his 196-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Test returnee Sarfaraz Ahmed (86) helped Pakistan recover from a poor start in the first Test of the two-match series against New Zealand. Scored 317 for five at stumps on Monday. At stumps, Babar was 161 while Agha Salman was batting on three runs. Babar has so far hit 15 fours and a six in his 277-ball innings. He completed the ninth century of his Test career by hitting a six against Michael Bracewell on the first ball of the 53rd over.

The New Zealand team, which came to Pakistan for a Test series after 20 years, dominated the opening hour of the first day by taking three wickets for 48 runs. Babar then brought the team back into the match by sharing a 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Saud Shakeel (22), who scored four half-centuries in the previous Test series against England. Former captain Sarfaraz, who joined the team after regular wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan was rested, supported Babar by batting well against the spinners.

Sarfaraz, playing his first Test since 2019, hit nine fours in his 153-ball innings. He was dismissed in the 86th over of the day, caught in the slips off Ejaz Patel. Babar got two lives in the opening session of the day. When he was on 12, Daryl Mitchell dropped a simple catch in the slips. After this, in the first over of Ish Sodhi, the on-field umpire called him leg before but he remained at the crease after taking the help of the review. In the first over after lunch, Devon Conway also missed a chance to run out Babar easily.

Spin bowlers Patel (2/91) and Bracewell (2/61) got a lot of help from the pitch in the first hour of play. Sensing the mood of the pitch, New Zealand’s new captain Tim Southee (1/51) handed the ball to Patel in the fourth over of the innings itself. Patel also did not disappoint the captain and showed the path of pavilion to Abdullah Shafiq (seven) on his third ball. After missing two balls in a row, Shafiq came out of the crease on the third ball but the ball got extra spin and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell made no mistake in stumping.

Shan Masood (three) was also stumped in the same fashion by off-spinner Bracewell. Bracewell achieved his second success by getting Imam-ul-Haq (24) caught by Saudi. Pakistan were struggling at 48 for three but then Babar took the lead and stopped the fall of wickets with a brilliant batting with Shakeel. Just before lunch, Shakil went to the pavilion by giving a catch to Henry Nicholls off Southee’s ball.

During this, Babar completed his half-century in 76 balls by hitting a four off the New Zealand captain. After this, the second and third seasons were entirely in the name of Pakistan. Where Babar and Sarfaraz kept the score board moving without taking any chances. Sarfaraz completed the 19th half-century of his Test career by running two runs off Sodhi in the 63rd over. Babar touched the 150-run mark in 253 balls with a four and then a single in the 82nd over.

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