PAK vs NZ: Shahid Afridi Pleased With Pakistan's Performance In 1st Test, Special Praise For Babar Azam And Sarfaraz Ahmed

Shahid Afridi, the temporary head selector of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), seemed happy with the Pakistani team’s performance on the opening day of the Karachi Test against New Zealand. The host team got off to a bad start, falling four wickets down for just 110 runs thanks to several wayward strokes from the top-order batters.

Following the initial collapse, Pakistan finished the first day on a strong thanks to an incredible fifth-wicket stand between Babar Azam and Sarfaraz Ahmed.  The pair added a massive 196 runs in the middle of the stand, defying the initial misery. 

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Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was making his Test debut after a three-year absence, made the most of the chance, smashing a courageous 86-run knock that was lauded by teammates and cricket fans alike.

Shahid Afridi Lauds Babar Azam And Sarfaraz Ahmed For Leading Pakistan’s Comeback

Furthermore, temporary men’s team head selector Shahid Afridi moved to Twitter to praise wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz and skipper Babar, as well as the squad’s overall performance. 

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“Pleased with Pakistan’s performance today, great comeback after the early loss of wickets. Special praise for Babar for another outstanding inning. Sarfaraz proved his selection right, excellent performance for him under pressure,” Afridi tweeted. 

Pleased with Pakistan's performance today, great comeback after the early loss of wickets. Special praise for Babar for another outstanding innings. Sarfaraz proved his selection right, excellent performance for him under pressure.

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) December 26, 2022

On the first day of the first Test against New Zealand in Karachi on Monday, Babar Azam produced a battling century and the returning Sarfaraz Ahmed made a half-century to help Pakistan to a solid 317-5 total. 

During the 196-run fifth-wicket partnership, the two powered Pakistan’s comeback from 110-4 to prevail in the match. In the remaining two sessions, the home team only lost Sarfaraz Ahmed’s wicket.

As the home team attempted to rebound from last week’s 3-0 setback to visiting England, their first-ever whitewash at home, Azam was undefeated on 161 and Agha Salman on 3. 

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