Pakistan lost the first Test against New Zealand by 101 runs in a highly-thrilling contest on day five of the opening match of the series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.
It was a dramatic final session with the visiting team putting up a fight till end of the day. Tail-enders Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi survived about eight intense overs before Mitchell Santner tossed one to Naseem around off, leading him to hit the ball back to the bowler.
The final wicket ended Pakistan's dramatic resistance with nearly only four overs left to the game’s end.
New Zealand is well in race of making it to the World Test Championship final at Lord’s next year after their victory against Pakistan today.
WATCH: The moment when Fawad Alam completed his century against New Zealand
Apart from when Pakistan whipped out the New Zealand openers cheaply on day one, the match had been in New Zealand´s control until Mohammad Rizwan, the stand-in skipper, joined Fawad Alam in the middle with Pakistan 75 for four on the final morning.
A 165-run partnership between the two gave the visiting team some hopes of saving the first Test before the skipper lost his wicket to Kyle Jamieson after tea. The bowler had gone close several times previously, and even his lbw shout against Rizwan was turned down before the umpire´s decision was overturned on review.
Fawad (102) scored a resilient century under great pressure, giving Pakistan the much needed stability in the fourth innings. It was the batsman’s second-highest score as he, at last, showed the promise expected of him after struggling since his recall against England in August after 11 years in the Test wilderness.
However, soon after Rizwan’s departure, a collapse happened with Fawad, Yasir Shah (0), Faheem Ashraf (19) and Mohammad Abbas (1) losing their wickets at close intervals.
It was a collective team effort from the New Zealand bowling attack with Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Jamieson and Neil Wagner all bagging two wickets each.
The two teams will play the second and final test of the series on January 3 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
With additional input from AFP
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