Pakistan succumbed to debutant Ajaz Patel and lost the first Test ♎against New Zealand by four runs on Monday.
Needing 139 more runs with all 10 wickets in hand on the fourth ✨day of the match, Pakistan was bowled out for 171 with Patel claimi🌃ng his maiden five wicket-haul (5-59).
Azhar Ali (65) and Asad Shafiq (45) seemed to have carried the hosts to victory with an 82-run fourth wicket stand before Neil Wagner broke through just at the stroke of lunch by haඣving Shafiq caught behind.
Babar Azam’s (10) run out in a mix-up with Azhar triggered the collapse as Pakistan lost its last six wickets for only 24 runs.
Azhar was the last man to be dismissed when Patel trapped🤡 him infr🍸ont of the wickets as the Kiwis recorded their narrowest Test victory in terms of runs.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Well done . What a great fightback and a memorab🌞le Test match. Test is Best !
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
Holy scccchmoly!!!! 😜 What a test match!! 😬👊🏻😎 congrats to & Fabulous entertainment 👏🎉🌴Well done Mr Patel… on debut…. you little rippa!!! 😊👏
— Danny Morrison (@SteelyDan66)
From 147/4 to lose chasinඣg 176 required a special effort not just from NZ but from Pakistan. ꦜOnly Pak can provide such thrillers out of easy victories. Well done to NZ and bad luck Pak
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif)
A test match to remember for a long time. An outstanding effort from New Zealand to win this after being out of the game for so long. Their never-say- die attit🏅ude is so wonderful and Test Cricket is well and truly alive
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Wow.
— Andre Adams (@AndreAdams)
Who said that test cricket is boring. What a match it was but unfortunately Pakistan lost.
Congratulations— Junaid khan 83 (@JunaidkhanREAL)
Caught th🦩e last 30 mins. So tense! Test cricket at its best!
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8)
It is not for nothing that Pakistan have the reputation of being unpredictable and fragile in chases. Well on course to winning, then run-outs and slogs…..130-3, then147-4 needing 176 and lose by 4.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
What a tremendously grounded peꦐrson Ajaz Patel is. Something really special about making yo✃ur debut at 30 and getting this reward.
— Grant Robertson (@grantrobertson1)
What an extraordinary display of tenacity and belief from to def🏅eat Pakistan in Abu Dhabi by 4 runs, especially debutant Ajaz Patel with five for 59. Compelling viewing all evening.
— Andrew Alderson (@aldersonnotes)
That was quite some de🐭but from Ajaz Patel. And for Gary Stead as Coach. Awesome stuff.
— Grant Robertson (@grantrobertson1)
//twitﷺter.com/Bazmccullum/stꦇatus/1064465399792717830
With 29 needed and six wicket😼s in hands to losing the test by 5 runs. Poor show by lower middle order of team Pakistan. But, that’s how they have always behaved in 4th innings𓃲.
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani)
Congratulations sensational fighting effort.
— Brendan Taylor (@BrendanTaylor86)
What a Test match win for !!!!!!!!!
— Luke Ronchi (@ronchi04)
Fabulous game Well done on hanging in there right through Oh dear Pakistan 🏅!!!
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69)
Don’t you just love Pakistan Cricket .. so so unpredictable .. 130 for 3 needing a further 45 to win the Test & lose by 4 .. Test cricket is alive & kicking .. We have witnessed some great games over the last few mඣonths .. Pitches are the key ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
Not the first time Pakistan has lost chasing on the 4th/5th day – Remember Edgbaston,Hamilton,Melbourne,Barbados,last year tests,mental blocks in chasing on the last day,panicking under pressure situations..
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial)
Great game of cricket. Test match cricket is a fascinating format. Congratulations New Zealand on a remarkable win! Well fought Pakistan, IA the team will bounce back from here.
Well done hassan ali and Yasi♍r Shah, great bowling!— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial)
Winning the Test by 4 runs after conceding the first innings lead….and that too away from home. Oh New Zealand…you beauty. Test cricket you rock too 😊🙏
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
One of the best Test matches of this decade… What drama, intrigue, fun! Pakistan, without you cricket, wouldn't have been so thrilling & exhilarating! Congrats, Black Caps for holding the nerves…
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra)
//twitter.com/Sdoull/status/1064466147737829376
Ajaz Patel is the Player of the 🅰Match on debut for his second innings figur🌺es of 5/59 👏👏
He helped New Zealand clai💮m a thrilling four run victory over Pakistan.
— ICC (@ICC)
