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Fareed Khan/AP
Pakistan captain Babar Azam was unbeaten on 161 at stumps on day one of the first test against the Black Caps.
At Karachi National Stadium: Pakistan 317-5 (Babar Azam 161no, Sarfaraz Ahmed 86; Michael Bracewell 2-61, Ajaz Patel 2-91) met the Black Caps
The Black Caps claimed three wickets inside the first hour of the first test against Pakistan in Karachi, but it was the early chance that went begging that defined the first day.
Michael Bracewell induced an edge from Pakistan captain Babar Azam in the 15th over on Boxing Day, but Daryl Mitchell couldn’t hold a regulation catch at first slip that would have sent the home skipper on his way for 12 shortly after he won the toss and chose to bat.
Babar proceeded to bring up his century 20 minutes before the tea break and at stumps he was not out on 161, with his side 317-5 and firmly on top in the battle between two teams looking to end four-match losing streaks.
He also survived an LBW decision six balls before the end of play, when he reviewed and the ball tracker showed Ajaz Patel’s delivery to be bouncing and going over the stumps.
Tom Blundell claimed two stumpings in the space of three overs in the first hour to bring Babar to the crease with his side 19-2 – the first time in history that the first two wickets in a test had fallen in such fashion.
Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood came down the wicket to Ajaz Patel and Michael Bracewell respectively, the latter batting more like it was a Twenty20 than the first morning of a test.
Bracewell also had Imam-ul-Haq caught by new Black Caps captain Tim Southee at long-on after he played a wild shot, leaving Pakistan 48-3 at the first drinks break, but from then on, the day was dominated by the hosts.
Southee claimed the only wicket to fall in the second hour, when he had Saud Shakeel caught by Henry Nicholls at gully just before lunch.
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Babar had brought up his half-century by then and he reached three figures in the second session while putting on a partnership of 196 with wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed for the fifth wicket.
It was Sarfaraz’s first test in four years and his first on home soil, despite it also being the 50th of his career, but he fell 14 runs short of marking it with a century, when he edged Patel to Mitchell at first slip four overs before stumps.
If only the earlier opportunity in that position had been snaffled as well.
The big moment
Babar Azam is the batter you can least afford to drop when playing Pakistan, but Mitchell did precisely that. The edge came quickly to him and he didn’t get a hand to it, and though he dived forward to try to claim it at the second time of trying, the ball ultimately hit the ground. It was early in the day, but it was clear then that it was a big let-off.
Best with the bat
Babar has also had plenty going on around him in the lead-up to this test, with the Pakistan Cricket Board in a state of upheaval following their men’s team’s 3-0 whitewash at the hands of England earlier this month. On Monday, he was able to focus solely on his batting and he delivered with his ninth test century.
Best with the ball
No-one really stuck their hand up on a trying day, but Patel and Southee were the most consistent of the Black Caps’ bowlers and the former got reward for his persistence when he broke the Babar-Sarfaraz partnership.
The big picture
Can the Black Caps find a second wind on the second morning, now they have an end open and a relatively new ball? If not, it could be a long day, and the attention will be on whether they can match Pakistan with the bat.
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