KARACHI: Devon Conway and Tom Latham dominated Pakistan bowlers with an unbeaten 165-run opening stand to propel a comeback for New Zealand in the first Test, here at National Bank Cricket Arena on Tuesday
Kiwi openers were on the charge in the latter half of the day after Pakistan raised a respectable 438-run total in the first innings, thanks to the blistering century by all-rounder Salman Ali Agha on Day 2 of the opening Test.
Conway slammed 82 from 156 balls while Latham contributed 78 from 126 balls, as the two remained solid on crease till the close of the day’s play.
At 165 without loss, New Zealand have already gathered enough momentum to take the first-innings lead after overpowering the 273-run trail with Pakistan bowlers yet to find a breakthrough.
Earlier Salman Ali Agha shone in the first half of the afternoon session as claimed his first Test century to help Pakistan take a dominant position in the game.
Compounding the flourishing start provided by the skipper Babar Azam and Sarfaraz Ahmed on the opening day, Salman played a phenomenal knock of 155-ball 103 with help of 17 fours.
Batting Maestro Babar Azam, who dominated the first day with his stellar performance had to walk back in the very first over without adding a run to his overnight score of 161 when he edged the ball to the wicketkeeper, Tom Blundell, off Kiwi captain Tim Southee’s bowling.
Returning Sarfaraz, however, made a remarkable comeback in the Test side after four years as he made 86 from 153 balls.
Southee remained the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand as he grabbed three while Ish Sodhi, Ajaz Patel and Michael Bracewell made two scalps each.
Pakistan added 121 runs to their overnight total of 317 with 100 coming out of just Salman’s bat.
Nauman Ali, who batted for almost 15 overs and made only 7 runs frustrated the Kiwi bowlers with his solid defence after Babar’s early dismissal. He stood firm alongside Salman for the most part of the opening session when the two gathered 54 runs from 157 balls. before Wagner finally found the breakthrough with a short-pitch delivery to remove him.
Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, then went on to bring Mohammad Wasim’s demise(2 from 5) and earned his first test wicket in four years. Sodhi took his second after Lunch interval when he trapped Mir Hamza on his pads.
Southee, however, brought the curtains down for Pakistan when he stuck centurion Salman on his back pad off a good-length delivery.
