/skyfair-news/media/agency_attachments/9rkuzSNg4i8sCUVbaBqx.png)
/skyfair-news/media/post_banners/LLnX49BYmSpg5UtvqnDS.png)
Babar Azam Lbw (Source: Twitter)
/skyfair-news/media/post_attachments/iwz8Alkcm0fAcO3biGPs.png)
Babar Azam (Source: Twitter)Pakistan and New Zealand squared off against each other at the National Stadium in Karachi. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat. Pakistan were looking to start off on a bright note after the 3-0 whitewash that they suffered at the hands of England.
The Men in Green did not get off to the best of starts as Pakistan were reeling at 48-3. The top order was back in the shed and Pakistan needed something special to get back into the game. Babar Azam did just that as he shunned his detractors and all the noise around him.
He first forged an alliance with Saud Shakeel as he played a hard-ground innings of 22 off 34 balls with 2 fours. When he was dismissed by Tim Southee, Sarfaraz Ahmed came in and joined Babar at the crease. The two took the New Zealand bowling attack to the sword and put up a wonderful partnership.
Sarfaraz Ahmed scored 86 off 153 balls in the partnership with Babar Azam
Babar scored a splendid unbeaten 161 off 277 balls with 15 fours and 1 six. The captain sent a statement to everyone else with the bat doing the talking that he is out to erase the misery of the England series.
Towards the fag end of the day, Babar was given out LBW off Ajaz Patel. There was a sharp turn on the ball which beat Babar in defence. The ball then struck Babar on the back thigh pad. He reviewed the call straight away and when hawk eye came on it was found that the ball was going over the stumps. It was missing the stumps and the call was overturned.
New Zealand were celebrating as they had thought that the Pakistan skipper was out. But, it was not to be and their celebrations were cut short. Sarfaraz Ahmed played his 50th Test for Pakistan against New Zealand which was his comeback into the Pakistan side.
The former captain forged a wonderful partnership with Babar he scored a resilient 86 off 153 balls with 9 fours. He had proven his point that he deserved to come back into Pakistan colours and had an outing to savour with the bat.