KARACHI: Sarfaraz Ahmed and Saud Shakeel brilliant 99 runs partnership brought to decisive phase in the second test.
Former captain Sarfaraz Ahme scored a brilliant half-century under pressure to keep Pakistan in contention for the second Test as he made 67 runs at tea while Saud Shakeel scored 27.
They reached 179/5 at Tea – going into the final session with 140 more to chase.
Sarfaraz and Saud scripted a sensational pullback of the sinking ship as they stitched an unbeaten partnership of 99 runs to steer Pakistan out of the crisis after they were reduced to 80/5 in the morning session of the final day here at National Bank Cricket Arena.
New Zealand bowlers earned crucial wickets in the first session to leave Pakistan stranded at 125/5 at Lunch.
Michael Bracewell dismissed Pakistan’s captain and batting mainstay Babar Azam before hunting down Shan Masood to reduce the home side to 80/5 before Sarfaraz Ahmed and Saud Shakeel stood solid till the interval.
The exceptional Sarfaraz-Saud partnership makes it Pakistan's session 🏏#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai pic.twitter.com/VPUybhaE9z
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 6, 2023
Saud and Sarfaraz hold the keys for their side to get them back into the competition as the two already gathered 45 before Lunch with Pakistan still in need of 192 runs to win the match and the series with only five wickets in hand.
While Sarfaraz took the attacking path as he made a quick 29 from 33 balls, Saud erected a bulwark with 16 off 51 from the other end.
Pakistan will be rooting for the pair to repeat their performance from two days ago when they hammered a solid 150-run partnership in the first innings.
Slog-swept for a maximum! 💥@SarfarazA_54 on the move after tea 🏏#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai pic.twitter.com/dQLJT4G8zK
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 6, 2023
Starting the decisive day with a precarious score of 0/2, overnight batter Imam and Shan added 35 runs before Ish Sodhi gave New Zealand their first breakthrough of the day, cleaning up Imam-ul-Haq on 12 as he went down the track but completed missed the sharp turning ball.
Skipper Babar tried to revert his side’s slippage and made 27 from 41 when he was removed by an inside edge down the leg side off Bracewell. The Legspinner handed Pakistan their third blow of the session when Shan lofted the length ball which was taken comfortably at mid-off by Kane Williamson.
