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Skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed starred as Pakistan reached 317-5 at stumps on day one of the first Test against New Zealand in Karachi.
At the close of play, Azam was unbeaten on 161 runs with the help of 15 fours and a six.
Meanwhile, Ahmed was other major contributor in the Pakistan innings as the former captain scored 86 runs and added 196 runs for the fifth wicket with Azam.
For New Zealand, spinners Ajaz Patel and Michael Bracewell claimed two wickets each.
In the first session, Pakistan had slipped to 48-3 with Abdullah Shafique (7), Shan Masood (3) and Imam-ul-Haq (24) all dismissed cheaply.
At this stage, Azam and Saud Shakeel stitched a crucial partnership of 62 runs to get things back on track for the home side.
However, Shakeel was caught in the gully region, near the lunch break, after scoring 22 runs.
Earlier, Azam won the toss and opted to bat against New Zealand Monday in the first Test in Karachi.
The home team made three changes from the last Test which they lost to England at the same venue, suffering their first-ever home 3-0 whitewash.
Sarfaraz Ahmed is playing his first Test since January 2019, while pacer Mir Hamza returns for the first time in four years.
Opener Imam-ul-Haq is back after recovering from injury.
New Zealand start the Test with three spinners and as many pace bowlers.
The visitors were also beaten 3-0 by England in their last Test series.
Lineups:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Wasim and Nauman Ali.
New Zealand: Tim Southee (captain), Michael Bracewell, Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner and Kane Williamson.
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