Pakistan avoided a fifth successive defeat at home with a hard-fought draw in the First Test in Karachi on Friday, despite New Zealand leg spinner Ish Sodhi’s best bowling figures. Sodhi took 6-86 to give New Zealand victory in the first two sessions on the fifth and final day, but Pakistan fought on before declaring their second innings at 311-8. That gave New Zealand a tough target of 138 to win in 15 overs, and the chase ended in fading light at 61-1, with Tom Latham unbeaten on 35 and Devon Conway 18.
Michael Bracewell was the only wicket to fall for three.
Sodhi was the star when he beat his previous record of 4-60 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo four years ago.
The 30-year-old, playing his first Test in four years, turned the match in New Zealand’s favor by three wickets in the second session to leave Pakistan 249-7 at tea with 35 overs remaining in the contest.
But Saud Shakeel, who finished with 55 not out, and Mohammad Wasim (43) braved for 75 minutes and 111 balls during their 71-run eighth wicket stand to deprive New Zealand of a win.
Shortly after tea, Sodhi trapped Wasim leg-before, but Mir Hamza (three not out) assisted Shakeel in an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 34 runs in 50 minutes to further frustrate the visitors.
Shakeel, who hit seven boundaries and a six, built after battling punches from Imam-ul-Haq (96) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (53) in the first two sessions.
In the post-lunch session, Sodhi dismissed Sarfaraz, Agha Salman (six) and Haq in the space of 27 balls for the addition of just 21 runs.
Haq and Sarfaraz had added a challenging 85 runs for the fifth wicket and raised hopes of a draw for the home side before Sodhi struck.
He had Sarfaraz on the back, bowled Salman and then stunned Haq to leave Pakistan at 206-7.
Haq, who survived lbw referrals from the bowler on 58 and 74, broke 10 boundaries and a six in his sixth half century, while Sarfaraz had seven hits on the rope.
He was so outraged by his firing that Haq smashed a chair with his bat on his way to the locker room.
Pakistan resumed at 77-2, losing night watchman Nauman Ali early, trapped by spinner Bracewell.
Then skipper Babar Azam – who scored 161 in Pakistan’s first innings of 438 – similarly went to Sodhi for 14.
The second test starts Monday at the same location.
(This story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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