Anxiety over the outcome of the Karachi Test was eased thanks to a conversation between Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed, which was shared on the official Twitter account of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
When Sarfaraz Ahmed was dismissed on Friday, Pakistan was 287/9 and still needed 31 runs to win the second Test against New Zealand in Karachi. Pakistan needed 32 more runs to win with one wicket left and just 39 balls to bowl. Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan’s eleventh batter, stepped to the crease and joined Naseem Shah, who was towards the conclusion of his innings.
The befuddled couple were in a pickle since they were the only ones left and could decide whether Pakistan won, lost, or the game ended in a tie.
In order to prevent New Zealand from winning, Naseem and Abrar held out for 21 balls. When Pakistan needed 17 runs to win in the 89th over, Naseem gave the visitors a fright by smashing New Zealand spinner Michael Bracewell for a six and four.
The match ended in a tie after 90 overs were played. Both Pakistani batters took a deep breath and laughed off the tension of the game’s last few overs in a conversation shared on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) official Twitter feed. Naseem described the moment Abrar came in to bat after Sarfaraz was out.
During the 89th over, Naseem hit spinner Michael Bracewell of New Zealand for a six and a four. Afterwards, when Pakistan just needed 17 more runs to win the Test, Khan relayed what he had told New Zealand captain Tim Southee.
“When he was coming in, I told Tim Southee, ‘Look, he’s wearing glasses, and it’s so late, he won’t be able to see the ball well.’ This isn’t right. But he walked in like Imran Khan, with style. “I realized that this guy is sure of himself,” Naseem said.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, who played as a wicketkeeper and batted, was named the series’s MVP after the two-game Test. He scored 335 runs in the two tests, averaging an astonishing 83.75, and finished as the series’ leading run-scorer.
