Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    3.3 as easy as it gets! That's a horrific decision from Shafique to walk down the pitch. Patel slows it through the air, Shafique came down the track to meet it before the turn. But the ball lands before him and turns away from him. Blundell grabs behind the stumps and swiftly whips the bails. Oh, Shafique, you wouldn't want to see the replay of that! 12/1
    14.6 shouts of 'catch it' and Southee at mid off takes the catch. Imam has thrown his wicket away by trying to take Bracewell on at the stroke of drinks. Full ball outside off and Imam looked to muscle it over mid off for four. Instead the ball hits the toe-end of the bat and Southee doesn't get an easier catch. What a way for the two sides to break for drinks. 48/3
    6.1 unbelievable! Absolutely shocking. Another stumping. #BoomBoomBall going awry. Shan comes down the track to a ball that isn't quite full enough, and the ball turns away after landing with the batter trying to hit out of the situation. The slip cordon was celebrating as soon as the ball went past the bat, and Blundell has ages to whip the bails off. 19/2
    90.4 gone, Babar falls without adding to his overnight score! Southee strikes in the first over of the day, and New Zealand will smell something now. He bowled on a good length, but brought this his line much closer to off stump. It was a fifth-stump line this time, as Babar tried to poke but got a faint outside edge to the keeper. Replays show the ball barely tickled his bat, but he has to go. New Zealand into Pakistan's tail now 318/6
    28.6 outside edge, and snapped by gully! Shakeel went driving far away from his body just minutes before lunch, and has to depart. Looked like Southee took this one away from the left-hander after bringing them back in all this while. It was full and wide - not dissimilar to the previous ball, which was also in the driving length outside off, and which Shakeel drove too - as this time Shakeel ended up outside-edging it behind the wicket 110/4
    85.3 edged, taken at slip by Mitchell! This time Mitchell holds on, and makes up for Babar's drop. But hang on, it's not done yet. Sarfaraz stands his ground, as if to wait for a clear-catch signal. Aleem Dar takes it upstairs with a soft signal of out, and yup, replays show it is a clean catch. Mitchell took it low, and close to his right boot, immediately falling back to ensure the ball didn't drop out of his hands. It was full and loopy outside off from Ajaz - he even bowled quicker - as Sarfaraz went driving but got an outside edge. He now walks back a disappointed man, even as his contribution of 86 in a 196-run stand in his comeback Test has turned the game around 306/5
    103
    155
    189
    17
    0
    66.45
    130.5 rapped on his back pad, and Southee's confident leg-before appeal and the fact that it looked close means Agha is given out. But he still reviews with nothing to lose. Good length ball on off, and angles in to hi Agha on his back thigh as he tries to hoick it across the line towards midwicket perhaps. There is no bat involved, as the ball sneaks past his inside edge. Replays show the ball would have crashed into middle stump, as Pakistan are wrapped up 438/10
    116.5 the plan works to perfection from Wagner. There were two fielders under the helmet, and Bracewell was at a shortish square-leg. Wagner bowls short, Nauman goes for the pull, but he's mistimed it. Bracewell sticks his left hand out from that short-ish square leg position and the ball sticks! Nauman looks disappointed, but that's what Wagner can do against batters who haven't faced a lot of short-pitched bowling. 372/7
    117.6 this time the ramp brings his demise and that's Sodhi's first Test wicket in four years. Wasim premeditates by trying that ramp again, but Sodhi is a smart fox. Drops it short, and Wasim's apparent ramp off the googly takes a tiny edge which the wicketkeeper holds on to. 375/8
    125.6 confident appeal... rather it was only halfway there, before Aleem Dar gave it out. But Hamza has reviewed. It was a fullish delivery pitching around sixth stump, and turning back in to hit Hamza on his front pad. No inside edge, as Hamza tried to defend, with the ball sliding between his bat and pad. Replays show umpire's call on impact, even as it would have hit the top of leg while turning back in and bouncing sharply. Sodhi strikes again, with Agha nearing his hundred and running out of partners 414/9
    not out
    6
    8
    25
    0
    1
    75.00
    Extras
    16 (b 3, lb 10, nb 2, w 1)
    TOTAL
    438 all out (130.5 Overs, RR: 3.34, 562 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Abdullah Shafique, 3.3 ov), 2-19 (Shan Masood, 6.1 ov), 3-48 (Imam-ul-Haq, 14.6 ov), 4-110 (Saud Shakeel, 28.6 ov), 5-306 (Sarfaraz Ahmed, 85.3 ov), 6-318 (Babar Azam, 90.4 ov), 7-372 (Noman Ali, 116.5 ov), 8-375 (Mohammad Wasim, 117.6 ov), 9-414 (Mir Hamza, 125.6 ov), 10-438 (Salman Agha, 130.5 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    TG Southee25.546932.6700
    N Wagner2126613.1411
    AY Patel36611223.1100
    MG Bracewell2467223.0000
    IS Sodhi2108724.1401
    DJ Mitchell301906.3300
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    69.5 taken at slip, who moves to his right to gobble the popped-up ball! The ball came off Latham's top edge before clipping his forearm, as he attempted the reverse sweep again. But this time the ball was on a good length, and pitching on middle, unlike the ones which were wide of off so far. It went on with the angle from around the wicket, and took off for a simple catch to leave Latham wondering. A brilliant knock comes to an end, as Pakistan have both openers now 231/2
    52.6 LBW appeal, given not out. And Sarfaraz reviews (interestingly without talking to any other fielder except Nauman). Good length ball outside off, sharply turning in, and hits his front pad. Is there too much bounce? TV umpire thinks there's a small spike when the ball passes the bat, but also feels that is not conclusive. Ball-tracking says? OMG, what a review - crashing into top of middle and leg. Conway falls for 92, and Pakistan get a breakthrough. Good delivery, brave review and a top-class decision from the TV umpire. However, umpire Aleem Dar's list of DRS-related errors rise in this Test. 183/1
    not out
    200
    395
    593
    21
    1
    50.63
    80.2 chopped on! Why take the new ball huh? Fullish outside off. Makes room to cut but the ball stays a tad low, and is quite close to Nicholls' body. Inside edge, onto middle stump. 272/3
    94.4 another reverse sweep gets Pakistan a wicket! Takes Mitchell's left glove, and balloons up, as Sarfaraz jogs forward to end almost in front of Mitchell to complete the catch. Abrar bowled the legspinner, and tossed it up on the fuller side of a length around off stump. Mitchell rolled his wrists early, but the ball took off from his glove and ended up in a comfortable catch. The counterattack ends, as Abrar strikes again 337/4
    126.6 rapped on the pad, and Wasim appeals confidently. Aleem Dar gives out, as Blundell chats with Williamson and decides not to review. So the drop four balls back doesn't cost Pakistan much. This reverses into the batter from a good length on or just about off stump. Blundell was deep in the crease to try and clip this to the on side, but missed, as he was struck on his back pad 427/5
    131.5 leading edge, and nabbed by mid-off! Late wicket for Pakistan, as the light fades in Karachi. Bracewell closed the bat face early to try and flick to the on side, as this full delivery dipped and turned into him from outside off. The ball flew off the leading edge, and Wasim at mid-off didn't have to move a step to take that 436/6
    186.3 Leading edge goes up, taken at mid-off. First wicket of the day! Full ball pitches just outside leg, it was slow so Sodhi took his front leg across and tried a to whack a flick through midwicket. The ball took the leading edge off the closing face, Babar took an easy catch at mid-off. 595/7
    187.3 Down the track, Southee looks to flay it i inside out. Skied to Masood. Didn't get to the pitch, got it off the bottom and Masood ran in towards mid-off and took it easily. One brings two, eh? 596/8
    188.6 Abrar has a five-for. Wagner tries the switch hit again, he goes hard but gloves it. Balloons to Salman at slip. It was tossed up invitingly, Wagner went after it as he did two balls ago. Late reward for Abrar 597/9
    not out
    0
    8
    22
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    26 (b 7, lb 11, nb 1, w 2, pen 5)
    TOTAL
    612/9d (194.5 Overs, RR: 3.14, 813 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-183 (Devon Conway, 52.6 ov), 2-231 (Tom Latham, 69.5 ov), 3-272 (Henry Nicholls, 80.2 ov), 4-337 (Daryl Mitchell, 94.4 ov), 5-427 (Tom Blundell, 126.6 ov), 6-436 (Michael Bracewell, 131.5 ov), 7-595 (Ish Sodhi, 186.3 ov), 8-596 (Tim Southee, 187.3 ov), 9-597 (Neil Wagner, 188.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    Mir Hamza2638303.1900
    Mohammad Wasim(1)34610513.0800
    Abrar Ahmed67.5820553.0200
    Noman Ali63518532.9321
    Babar Azam411102.7500
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    19.5 Down the track, flicks it flat in the air. Taken by Phillips at mid-on. 'What was the need?', goes Waqar Younus goes on air as Bracewell is all smiles in celebration. It was tossed up outside off, Shafique danced towards the line and looked to whack it over the fielder but got it off the bottom. Hovered to the left of the sub fielder Phillips, who took it well. 47/1
    71.5 stumped! Pakistan in real trouble now. Was a googly from around the wicket. Imam came down the track but Sodhi bowled it on a length wide outside off. The turn beat him as he looked to turn it on the leg side and Blundell made no mistake behind the stumps. Imam walks back for 96, Sodhi has a five-for. Imam smashed a chair with his bat on his way to the pavilion and then threw his bat in anger 206/7
    28.4 Big, sustained appeal for an LBW. Aleem Dar waits and gives it out. Masood reviews after a chat with three seconds to go. It was around a length, spun in. Masood went into his crease, on the back foot. Hit him on the knee roll after he tried to flick it across the line with a fully closed bat-face and missed. No edge, Hawk-Eye predicts it to be clipping leg, it's umpire's call and Masood has to go. Big cheers from the fielders as they flock around Sodhi to congratulate him. 71/2
    33.3 a loud appeal for lbw and given. And Nauman is walking back after a brief chat with Imam. It was full around off, Nauman looked to defend it on the front foot but was beaten on the inside edge and struck low on the front pad. Would have crashed into middle 82/3
    39.1 and he strikes first ball. A googly to start the over with. Pitched outside off, spun and kept a touch low. Babar went for the pull but missed and was hit in front of middle. Babar has a chat with Imam and sends it upstairs reluctantly. The replay shows it would have gone on to hit the leg stump 100/4
    63.3 and out of nowhere, Sodhi has struck. Wasn't a great ball. It was short and wide. But Sarfaraz chased it with the cut only to toe-end it into the keeper's gloves. It was just a tickle and Sodhi knew it straightaway even though Blundell had no idea 185/5
    69.1 Sodhi is keeping this Test alive. Tossed up around off. It's not a googly but goes straight on and sneaks in through the gap between bat and pad as Salman came forward to defend it 205/6
    not out
    55
    108
    138
    7
    1
    50.92
    90.2 Sodhi strikes again, trapping Wasim lbw with what looked like a flipper. Was a length ball that kept coming in. Wasim was looking to cut it on the back foot but the ball thudded into the back leg. Wasim is having a chat with his partner and eventually decides to review it. Umpire's call on the impact and it was going to hit off and middle. Pakistan save the review but lose the wicket 277/8
    not out
    3
    34
    49
    0
    0
    8.82
    Extras
    10 (b 8, nb 2)
    TOTAL
    311/8d (103.5 Overs, RR: 2.99, 450 minutes)
    Did not bat: Abrar Ahmed
    Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Abdullah Shafique, 19.5 ov), 2-71 (Shan Masood, 28.4 ov), 3-82 (Noman Ali, 33.3 ov), 4-100 (Babar Azam, 39.1 ov), 5-185 (Sarfaraz Ahmed, 63.3 ov), 6-205 (Salman Agha, 69.1 ov), 7-206 (Imam-ul-Haq, 71.5 ov), 8-277 (Mohammad Wasim, 90.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    TG Southee1553902.6000
    AY Patel2428903.7000
    MG Bracewell2558223.2800
    IS Sodhi36.5108662.3301
    N Wagner30702.3301

Close of Play

  • Mon, 26 Dec - day 1 - Pakistan 1st innings 317/5 (Babar Azam 161*, Agha Salman 3*, 90 ov)
  • Tue, 27 Dec - day 2 - New Zealand 1st innings 165/0 (TWM Latham 78*, DP Conway 82*, 47 ov)
  • Wed, 28 Dec - day 3 - New Zealand 1st innings 440/6 (KS Williamson 105*, IS Sodhi 1*, 136 ov)
  • Thu, 29 Dec - day 4 - Pakistan 2nd innings 77/2 (Imam-ul-Haq 45*, Nauman Ali 4*, 31 ov)
  • Fri, 30 Dec - day 5 - New Zealand 2nd innings 61/1 (7.3 ov) - end of match

Match Notes