KARACHI: Babar Azam smashed an unbeaten 161 from 277 balls to put Pakistan back on course after the top-order collapse on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand, here at National Bank Cricket Arean on Monday. 

Skipper Babar and returning Sarfaraz Ahmed dominated New Zealand bowlers as they added 194 runs for the fifth wicket to steer Pakistan to 317/5 before the close of the day’s play.

A master-class knock by Pakistan’s captain took him ahead of Muhammad Yusuf for scoring the most number of runs for Pakistan in a calendar year, while he also went past England’s Joe Root when he reached 92 to become the highest run-scorer in Test in 2022.

While Babar’s headline knock broke a string of records, Sarfaraz managed to be in the limelight for a remarkable comeback in the Test side after four years as he made 86 from 153 balls.

The wicket-keeper batter impressed on his first outing on the home ground and despite missing out on his 4th ODI ton by 14 runs when he edged to first slip off Ajaz Patel on the stroke of day end, he received a standing from the management and team-mates when he walked back to the pavilion, settling for 19th Test fifty to his credit.

Pakistan will commence the second’s play with Babar and all-rounder Agha Salman on the crease, with the latter batting at 3 from 16 balls.

Earlier, New Zealand bowlers earned vital breakthroughs to dislodge the top order as Pakistan slipped to 115/4 in the opening session.

But a courageous fightback from the Pakistan captain took the side out of the crisis as he first stitched a crucial 62-run stand for the fourth wicket with Saud Shakeel before his stellar partnership with Sarfaraz.

Taking a leaf out of England’s successful campaign in Pakistan, New Zealand too put their bets on spinners and went with three spinners on a surface that looked unchanged from its previous game held just six days ago.

Opting to bat first, the home side went through an unwanted start when for the first in the history of men’s Test cricket the first two wickets fell off with stumping dismissals.

Wicket-keeper Tom Blundell dislodged the bells when opener Abdullah Shafique walked down the track off Ajaz Patel in the fourth over before Shan Masood met the same fate three overs later off Michael Bracewell’s bowling.

Imam-ul-Haq scored 24 from 38 balls before Bracewell struck with his second wicket with Tim Southee grabbing a catch at mid-off.

Meanwhile, Saud managed 22 from 34 balls before he was struck down by captain Southee on the stroke of Lunch.