PAK vs NZ, 1st Test: Babar Azam hundred, Sarfaraz Ahmed 86 lift Pakistan to 317 for 5 on Day 1 in Karachi

Captain Babar Azam hit his 9th Test hundred while wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed made his comeback memorable with a brilliant 86-run knock to lead Pakistan to 317 for 5 against New Zealand at stumps on Day 1 of the series opener in Karachi.

Babar scored his 9th Test hundred and fourth in 2022 against New Zealand and was unbeaten on 161 at Karachi's National Stadium, while comeback Sarfaraz, who was playing his first Test in Pakistan, played a brilliant 86-run knock before getting dismissed. Babar and Sarfaraz forged a massive stand for the fifth wicket to help Pakistan overcome a wobble in the morning session when they lost four quick wickets.

New Zealand, playing their first Test in Pakistan in 20 years, had made early inroads as Pakistan stumbled to 110 for 4 in the first session before Babar and Sarfaraz rebuilt the innings with a 196-run stand.

Sarfaraz, playing his first Test since January 2018 in place of the rested Mohammad Rizwan, made full use of his hometown conditions but missed out on a well-deserved Test hundred in Karachi after Babar raised his hundred off 161 balls with a six off Michael Bracewell over



midwicket.

Earlier, after Babar chose to bat, Ajaz Patel and Bracewell found plenty of turn in the first hour. Southee quickly read the slow and dry wicket and brought on his spinners with the new hardball, which was only three overs old.

Abdullah Shafique (7) was stumped off Patel's third ball after being beaten on two consecutive deliveries from the left-arm spinner. Shan Masood (3) also attempted an overachieved shot against Bracewell's off-spin, and Tom Blundell got his second stumping before Imam-ul-Haq (24) played a reckless shot and holed out to Southee at mid-off, leaving Pakistan struggling at 48 for 3.

Babar reached fifty off 76 balls when he drove Sodhi through mid-on off the backfoot for his seventh boundary before Southee dismissed Saud Shakeel (22) in the final over before lunch. Shakeel played a loose drive against Southee and offered a regulation catch in the gully just as the pair appeared to be rebuilding their innings.

Pakistan included Mir Hamza in the playing XI after the left-arm fast bowler appeared in his only Test against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2018. Faheem Ashraf was replaced by Hamza as an allrounder.