Match: New Zealand vs Pakistan | First Test Match 2022
Dates: 26th December 2022 – 30th December 2022
Venue: National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi (formerly known as National Stadium Karachi)
New Zealand vs Pakistan Teams – Playing XIs:
Pakistan’s Playing XI:
Babar Azam (c), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Mir Hamza, Abrar Ahmed
New Zealand’s Playing XI:
Tim Southee (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel
New Zealand vs Pakistan – Toss Report:
Pakistan’s Captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat first. His decision proved fruitful as his batters scored 438 runs in the first innings.
Day 3 | 1st Test Match | New Zealand vs Pakistan 2022:
New Zealand resumed their innings from 165/0 on Day 3 as they looked to build on the platform that the openers had set for the side. The two openers added another 18 runs to their overnight tally of 165 runs, as New Zealand lost their first wicket at 183.
Nauman Ali had Devon Conway trapped in front of stumps. Pakistan had drawn the first blood against New Zealand. Tom Latham continued batting superbly to bring up his 13th test match hundred.
Tom Latham scores his 13th Test Hundred. Thus, becoming the most successful New Zealand Opener | 1st Test Match | New Zealand vs Pakistan:
With that hundred Latham became the best kiwi opener in the history of the sport. Latham now holds the record for most test centuries for a New Zealand opener. Latham got out after scoring 113 runs as Abrar Ahmed dismissed him with an edge to slips.
Henry Nicholls also got a start but failed to convert it into a big one. He made 22 runs before being bowled by Nauman Ali.
Kane Williamson continued to score at the other end. Thus, holding the New Zealand innings together. Daryl Mitchell joined Williamson at the crease after Nicholls’ wicket. Mitchell was pro-active in his approach as he scord a quick-fire 42 in 47 balls with 7 fours and 1 six.
Mitchell was dismissed by Abrar Ahmed as Sarfaraz Ahmed took a sharp catch behind the stumps. Blundell and Williamson had a 90 run parthernship that took New Zealand to 427/4. In the 127th over of the innings, Blundell was dropped by Imam UL Haq.
However, Wasim had him trapped LBW in the same over. Resultantly, the drop catch did not cost Pakistan much. Michael Bracewell joined Williamson at the crease after the fall of 5th wicket.
However, his stay at the crease was short-lived as Abrar dismissed him for only 5 runs.
Kane Williamson scored his 25th Test Hundred | 1st Test Match | New Zealand vs Pakistan 2022:
New Zealand’s former Captain Kane Williamson scored yet another test hundred. This was an important hundred for Williamson as he had been short in terms of runs recently. Williamson’s hundred took New Zealand to 440/6 by the end of play.
Williamson is still at the crease, batting at 105. The leg-spinner Ish Sodhi is at the other end with Williamson.
New Zealand would want to add a substantial lead in the first innings while Pakistan will hunt for quick wickets tomorrow.
What is Test Match?
Test cricket is a form of first-class cricket played at international level between teams representing full member countries of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
A match consists of four innings (two per team) and is scheduled to last for up to five days. In the past, some Test matches had no time limit and were called Timeless Tests. The term “test match” was originally coined in 1861–62 but in a different context.
Test cricket did not become an officially recognised format until the 1890s, but many international matches since 1877 have been retrospectively awarded Test status. The first such match took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in March 1877 between teams which were then known as a Combined Australian XI and James Lillywhite’s XI, the latter a team of visiting English professionals.
