KARACHI: Captain Babar Azam struck an unbeaten 161 as Pakistan overcame a wobbly begin to rating 317-5 in opposition to New Zealand on the primary day of the opening Test at Karachi’s National Stadium on Monday.
Babar rode his luck in a 277-ball innings which contained 15 fours and a giant six to deliver up his century whereas Agha Salman was unbeaten on three at stumps after New Zealand did not capitalise on a powerful begin with the ball.
Babar opted to bat first and the touring facet started their first Test in Pakistan in 20 years by taking two fast wickets through stumpings, with Ajaz Patel eradicating Abdullah Shafique for seven and spin associate Michael Bracewell dismissing Shan Masood for 3.
Bracewell may have had the important thing wicket of Babar within the fifteenth over, however Daryl Mitchell dropped a easy probability at first slip, although the bowler responded by having Imam-ul-Haq caught for twenty-four at mid-off three deliveries later.
Pakistan recovered from the early blows as Babar reached his half-century, however New Zealand skipper Tim Southee decreased them to 110-4 when Saud Shakeel (22) edged one to Henry Nicholls at gully shortly earlier than lunch.
Babar continued his rescue act after the break, nonetheless, reaching his ninth Test century within the firm of Sarfaraz Ahmed, who made 86 in his first Test since 2019 after changing wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan within the facet.
Babar loved a superb 196-run partnership with Sarfaraz earlier than Patel dismissed the previous captain when he edged one to Mitchell at first slip shortly earlier than the shut.
New Zealand, who deserted their white-ball tour of Pakistan final yr because of safety considerations, want to finish a run of 4 straight Test defeats with Southee as the brand new captain following the six-year tenure of Kane Williamson.
Pakistan are searching for to beat an analogous droop, together with a 3-0 house sequence defeat by England, within the two-Test sequence in opposition to the New Zealanders.
Babar rode his luck in a 277-ball innings which contained 15 fours and a giant six to deliver up his century whereas Agha Salman was unbeaten on three at stumps after New Zealand did not capitalise on a powerful begin with the ball.
Babar opted to bat first and the touring facet started their first Test in Pakistan in 20 years by taking two fast wickets through stumpings, with Ajaz Patel eradicating Abdullah Shafique for seven and spin associate Michael Bracewell dismissing Shan Masood for 3.
Bracewell may have had the important thing wicket of Babar within the fifteenth over, however Daryl Mitchell dropped a easy probability at first slip, although the bowler responded by having Imam-ul-Haq caught for twenty-four at mid-off three deliveries later.
Pakistan recovered from the early blows as Babar reached his half-century, however New Zealand skipper Tim Southee decreased them to 110-4 when Saud Shakeel (22) edged one to Henry Nicholls at gully shortly earlier than lunch.
Babar continued his rescue act after the break, nonetheless, reaching his ninth Test century within the firm of Sarfaraz Ahmed, who made 86 in his first Test since 2019 after changing wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan within the facet.
Babar loved a superb 196-run partnership with Sarfaraz earlier than Patel dismissed the previous captain when he edged one to Mitchell at first slip shortly earlier than the shut.
New Zealand, who deserted their white-ball tour of Pakistan final yr because of safety considerations, want to finish a run of 4 straight Test defeats with Southee as the brand new captain following the six-year tenure of Kane Williamson.
Pakistan are searching for to beat an analogous droop, together with a 3-0 house sequence defeat by England, within the two-Test sequence in opposition to the New Zealanders.