PAK vs NZ: "Tremendous For Ish Sodhi, Has Not Played Test Cricket For A Long Time, He Can Be Extremely Proud" - Tim Southee

The first Test of the two-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand ended in a draw as bad light halted New Zealand’s run chase at the National Stadium in Karachi. The Babar Azam-led team avoided a fifth consecutive defeat at home. New Zealand captain Tim Southee praised spinner Ish Sodhi’s all-round performance.

The leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, who is playing his first test since 2018, took advantage of a rare opportunity and performed well with both bat and ball. Sodhi proved his worth in the longer format of the game, claiming his best figures in Test cricket with 6/86 in Pakistan’s second innings, as well as scoring a crucial 65 runs.

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I Would Not Say The Win Slipped Away – Tim Southee

During the post-match presentation, Blackcaps skipper Tim Southee heaped praise on Sodhi, saying that he should be proud of his return to Test cricket.

“I would not say the win slipped away. Credit to the guys, we had to play in the field for a long time to create ten chances. They played nicely, it has taken a long 4-5 days and there was a bit of assistance today,” said Southee in a post-match presentation.

“Tremendous for Ish, has not played Test cricket for a long time, he can be extremely proud. Not only with the ball, but with the bat as well with that partnership with Kane. It was not too different from usual, we are a tight group with Kane and Tom out there. Nice to get out there and do things!” he added.

Pakistan declared their second innings at 311/8; Shakeel, Imam-ul-Haq, and Sarfaraz Ahmed smashed half-centuries, while Ish Sodhi was the standout bowler for the Kiwis. New Zealand needed to chase down 138 in 15 overs; Tom Latham was unbeaten on 35 and Devon Conway unbeaten on 18 to finish at 61-1 before fading light halted the chase.

Also read: “We Hope And Pray That He Will Be Alright Soon And His Condition Is Stable” – BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla On Rishabh Pant

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