Babar Azam slams his fourth hundred of the year to lead Pakistan’s recovery against New Zealand in first Test | Cricket News – Act Daily News

NEW DELHI: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam continued his wonderful batting kind within the final match of the yr too, scoring a superb century to steer from the entrance within the first Test towards New Zealand in Karachi on Monday.
Azam struck spinner Michael Bracewell for a six in the direction of mid-wicket to finish his ninth Test century. It was Azam’s fourth Test hundred in 2022.
Pakistan had been in a spot of hassle on the opening day and had been struggling on 115/4 at lunch, earlier than Azam and Sarfaraz Ahmed, who scored a cultured 86 off 153 balls, added a powerful 196-run stand for the fifth wicket to revive the hosts’ innings towards the Kiwis.

Azam remained unbeaten on 161, whereas taking the hosts to a powerful place at 317/5 in 90 overs. The hosts skipper hit a six and 15 fours throughout his 277-ball innings. Agha Salman, 3 not out, was on the crease together with his skipper at stumps on Day 1.
Azam, who’s the main run-scorer within the format this yr, has already scored greater than 1100 Test runs in 2022, which included 4 tons of and 7 fifties. This purple patch additionally included his profession finest 196 towards Australia in Karachi earlier this yr in March. Apart from the 2 tons in Karachi, Azam has a 119 towards Sri Lanka in Galle and 136 towards England in Rawalpindi in 2022, making it the most effective yr in his Test profession.

New Zealand will likely be ruing letting Azam off the hook when he was on simply 12, after Daryl Mitchell spilled a regulation catch at slip off Bracewell. The vacationers additionally did not run out Azam on 54 when Devon Conway missed the stumps with the Pakistan skipper effectively in need of his crease.
New Zealand’s spinners dominated the primary session, with Bracewell dismissing Shan Masood for 3 and Imam-ul-Haq for twenty-four, whereas Patel took the early wicket of Abdullah Shafique for seven.
In the penultimate over earlier than lunch, quick bowler Tim Southee dismissed Saud Shakeel for 22 to finish a profitable session for the vacationers, taking part in their first Test sequence in Pakistan since 2002.
New Zealand’s choice to play with three spinners appeared justified, because the National Stadium pitch took flip proper from the beginning. Patel got here on to bowl in simply the fourth over of the innings. He turned his third ball throughout a forward-playing Shafique, and had him stumped by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. Bracewell then had Masood stumped in his second over earlier than Haq miscued a drive off him and was caught at mid-off.
This is the primary time in Test cricket historical past that the primary two dismissals in an innings had been each stumped.
Pakistan, who suffered their first-ever 0-3 house whitewash to England final week, recalled Sarfaraz, Mir Hamza and Haq to the aspect.
(With inputs from businesses)