KARACHI : Saud Shakeel hit a sedate first test hundred and Sarfaraz Ahmed made an aggressive third consecutive half century to lift Pakistan to 407-9 on the third day of the second test against New Zealand on Wednesday.

Shakeel was unbeaten on 124 and Sarfaraz, who hit half centuries in his first test match in almost four years last week, fell to a contentious stumping just before tea for 78. Part-time seamer Daryl Mitchell came close to dismissing Sarfaraz off his first ball, but the batter successfully overturned umpire Alex Wharf’s lbw ruling through television referral. Tom Blundell then had him stumped in the same over after collecting the ball down the legside.

TV umpire Ahsan Raza felt Sarfaraz’s heel was not grounded in the crease when Blundell whipped the bails off after going through several replays. Sarfaraz hit 10 boundaries and faced 109 balls as he dominated New Zealand pace and spin. Pakistan now trails by 112 runs after New Zealand’s last-wicket pair of Matt Henry and Ajaz Patel had lifted the total to 449 with a century stand. Shakeel and Sarfaraz kept New Zealand at bay with their determined 150-run stand in three hours as Pakistan lost the sole wicket of Imam-ul-Haq in a quiet first session after resuming on 154-3. Both batters looked solid against the spinners with their sweep shots and New Zealand couldn’t get through their defenses even after taking the second new ball after lunch before Mitchell struck late in the second session.

Shakeel, who spent almost an hour before scoring his first run off his 42nd ball on Day 2, showed plenty of patience before accelerating to complete his half century off 173 balls. He reached 99 with a swept boundary against offspinner Michael Bracewell and then ran a quick single to mid-off to raise his memorable maiden hundred off 240 balls with 14 boundaries.

Shakeel had a terrific start to his test cricket last month when he made four half centuries in Pakistan’s 3-0 loss against England. He also scored a half century in the drawn first test against New Zealand last week before finally getting his first hundred.

Earlier, New Zealand kept Pakistan quiet in the first session and allowed only 70 runs as Imam missed out on another opportunity to score a century. Imam followed his 96 in the opener with a knock of 83 runs before he was caught behind after captain Tim Southee successfully overturned an on-field not out decision of umpire Wharf through television referral.

Shakeel survived an lbw referral in the last over before lunch against Matt Henry and moved to a gritty 43 as Sarfaraz also shaped well for another big knock with his solid sweeps against the spinners. Imam started off confidently with a boundary off Henry’s first ball of the day through point before Southee got the breakthrough in his second over at the stroke of the hour. Imam, who hit 10 fours and a six, batted for just over four hours but tried to play away from his body and the replays suggested the ball had taken the toe-end of his bat to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. Imam had revived Pakistan innings with an 83-run stand with Shakeel after captain Babar Azam was run out in a bizarre mix-up with him and had Pakistan in trouble at 99-3 late on Day 2.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 05 2023

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