In reply to New Zealandβs 449-10 in the first innings courtesy of a 103-run partnership between Matt Henry and Ajaz Patel. Pakistan had an uphill task of getting to New Zealandβs target, but the batters were up to it. Imam-ul-Haq made 83 off 165 balls with 10 fours and one six before he was dismissed.
Then Shaan Masood and Babar Azam departed early before Saud Shakeel smashed a 125 off 341 balls with 17 fours. Sarfaraz Ahmed made a vital 78 off 109 with 10 fours. Agha Salman chipped in with 41 off 78 balls with 7 fours. Pakistan ended on 408-10. The spinners led by Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi picked up three wickets each.
New Zealand had a lead of 41 and then batted at a great pace to score 277-5 at the end of Day 4. The batting was led by Tom Latham who scored 62 off 103 balls with 11 fours. Kane Willamson scored 41 off 107 with six fours. The finishing touches were provided by Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell who scored 74 and 74 not out respectively with 7 fours and 1 six and 11 fours.
This allowed New Zealand to get 319. Then Tim Southee, the skipper, gave his bowlers a full day and three overs to bowl the Pakistan side out and to enforce a result. Then the final passage of play was set up beautifully by the New Zealand bowlers who picked up two wickets to cap off a wonderful day. The match is headed for an interesting finish on Day 5.
Tim Southee bowled Abdullah Shafique on the second ball. He failed to get his bat down in time and the off stump was pegged back. Then Matt Henry bowled a maiden before Ish Sodhi scalped the wicket of Mir Hamza. A ripping leg break that went away from Hamza brought him forward, this created a big gap between bat and pad which allowed the ball to hit the off stump. Due to the loss of these two wickets, Pakistan have landed themselves in a hole. Twitter was abuzz, let us take a look at the reactions here-
Mja Rizwan k itnay miss chances pura career ma yaad ne ha jitnay sarfaraz k in 2 matches ma ππ#PakvsNZ
β Arsal (@arslanpctfan) January 5, 2023
Abdullah 8th consecutive inning failure #PakvsNZ
0-2 chasing 318
β Hamza Kaleem (@hamzakaleem5) January 5, 2023
Pakistan Cricket at its worst
TBH Pak should be banned frol hosting international cricket bcz the standard of pitches is simply pathetic the ball isn't even bouncing to the knees π#PAKvsNZ #PAKvNZ #BabarAzam #Sarfaraz #AsiaCup2023
Sharjeel Khan pic.twitter.com/5y72lKI0Gp
Thats the test gone #PakVsNZ
β Haroon (@7haroon7) January 5, 2023
Boys played well ππ#pakvsnz #PAKvsNZ #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/TepQsidEcX
β Baba Acharya (@AyushYadav2420) January 5, 2023
Kids give 1 day and 3 overs to their team to get 10 wickets
β Absolute fake Daniel Alexander (@mrcool0283) January 5, 2023
Legends give just 15 overs and brag #PAKvsNZ #Cricket
"When it comes to the Test match, it is completely different. Where does this directive come from? Does it come from Babar who wants to bat on a road and improve his own stats? Does it come from above him?" Simon Doull on pitches in Pakistan #PakvsNz pic.twitter.com/PmV8LE8aVh
β Anand Raj (@sports_anand) January 5, 2023
Pakistani batsman right now πππ #PakvsNZ #PAKvNZ #PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/x0AiPWLgPE
β Qudrat_Ka_Nizaam__π΅_Fearless_18_π (@43_53_99_alout) January 5, 2023
Enjoying Pak vs NZ football match π pic.twitter.com/JHILY0oO87
β muskan π΅π° (@Musskey) January 5, 2023
Β
That's how you Put Pressure Babar
β Kamran Khan (@Kamran__8) January 5, 2023
Our team Management make flat roads so that our Pathetic batting don't get exposed, Other Teams strong batting lineups get advantage of flat Roads and in the end our Pathetic Batting still get exposed even on Road pitch#PakvsNZ#PakvsNZ pic.twitter.com/KPZcnx64Kf
Pakistan gave tribute to their chief selector Shahid Afridi by losing two wickets for zero on the fourth day.
β Sir BoiesX π― (@BoiesX45) January 5, 2023
Boom Boom Era π₯ #PAKvNZ || #PakvsNZ pic.twitter.com/3WBYJ9cX4s