KARACHI: Pakistan on Tuesday summed up second day of the second Test against New Zealand at 154-3, trailing by 295 runs against the visitors’ first innings’ 449.

Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel gave Pakistan some support at midway as the hosts lost their top three cheaply – with captain Babar Azam falling short of his crease. Imam-ul-Haq remained rock solid at 74*, while Shakeel ended his day at 13*.  For Kiwis, Matt Henry and Ajaz Patel picked up a wicket each.

Earlier, Pakistan picked up some early wickets in day but New Zealand’s tail gave them a tough time, as their number 10 remained not out at 68. Devon Convoy’s brilliant century ton of 122 runs gave Kiwis a solid foundation. Henry and Patel had combined earlier to lift New Zealand from 345-9 with an invaluable 104 runs for the 10th wicket.

Henry smashed eight boundaries and two sixes in his career-best 68 not out, improving his previous high against Australia at Christchurch in 2016 by six runs.

Patel also bettered his previous Test-best of 20 — against England last year — by scoring 35 before he was the last wicket to fall, caught off spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Naseem took the day’s first wicket when he bowled Ish Sodhi for 11 with a ball that cut through sharply. Blundell, who was 30 overnight, reached his fifty with a boundary and a single off Abrar Ahmed. He hit six boundaries in his 51 before being bowled by Ahmed. The spinner then had Tim Southee stumped for ten, before Henry and Patel prolonged the innings, helping New Zealand cross the 400-mark. Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers with 4-149 while Naseem Shah (3-71) and Agha Salman (3-75) were the other successful bowlers.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 04 2023

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