KARACHI: Pakistan and New Zealand first Test ended in a draw at National Stadium Karachi here on Friday. Bad light halted the visitors’ victory charge in an entertaining final session on the fifth and final day. Pakistan captain Babar Azam threw down the gauntlet when he declared Pakistan’s second innings on 311-8 in the final session of the contest. It left New Zealand needing 138 runs for victory from the final 15 overs and the tourists raced to 61-1 in the eighth over before bad light forced a draw. Tom Latham remained unbeaten on 35 and Devon Conway on 18. Michael Bracewell was the only wicket to fall for three. Resuming on 77-2, Pakistan lost nightwatchman Nauman Ali early, trapped leg-before by spinner Bracewell. Then skipper Babar Azam – who scored 161 in Pakistan’s first innings of 438 – was out the same way to Ish Sodhi for 14. Imamul Haq topscored for the home side with 96 and Sarfaraz Ahmed (53) registered his second fifty in his comeback match but it was Pakistan’s lower order who bailed them out.
Imam and Sarfaraz had added a defiant 85 runs for the fifth wicket and raised hopes of salvaging a draw for the home team before Sodhi struck. He had Sarfaraz caught behind, bowled Salman Agha, and then got Imam stumped to leave Pakistan on 206-7. Imam, who survived LBW referrals off the bowler on 58 and 74, cracked 10 boundaries and a six in his sixth half-century while Sarfaraz had seven hits to the rope. So incensed was he by his dismissal, Imam smashed a chair with his bat on the way to the dressing room. Sodhi was the star as he improved on his previous best of 4-60 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo four years ago. The 30-year-old, playing his first Test in four years, turned the match in New Zealand’s favour with three wickets in the second session to leave Pakistan on 249-7 at tea with 35 overs left in the match. But Saud Shakeel, who ended with 55 not out, and Mohammad Wasim (43) defied for 75 minutes and 111 balls during their 71-run eighth wicket stand to deprive New Zealand of a win. Sodhi returned a career-best 6-86. Babar sprang a surprise with his late declaration and the home side looked anxious as New Zealand reacted positively to the challenge despite losing Bracewell in the first over.
“I wouldn’t say the win slipped away,” Tim Southee, in his first match since taking over as New Zealand’s Test captain, said. “We had to hang in and take chances. To have lost the toss and have had a chance was pleasing.” Pakistan skipper Babar said they wanted to get a result. “As I said at the toss, and so we went for the declaration. But the light was not good enough, so it ended in a draw.” Kane Williamson was adjudged player-of-the-match for his unbeaten 200 in his first test since relinquishing the red-ball captaincy. “I still had quite a few chats with Tim,” Williamson said of his role in the side. “Nice to spend some time out there and make contribution… You have to do things a bit differently here than back home.” The second Test, also in Karachi, begins on Monday.