The second Test drew to a close, with Pakistan just 15 runs shy and New Zealand just one wicket from the win, but the referee ruled light was not enough to keep the play going.
His second Test between Pakistan and New Zealand ended on Friday with an exceptional record, with both sides having a realistic chance of winning the game. His Sarfaraz Ahmed’s tough century on the fifth day gave Pakistan a chance to win, although wickets fell to the other side while chasing 319 goals. Sarfaraz became the 10th wicket to drop after he scored 118 in 176 balls, then the Kiwis brought a fielder as he surrounded two tail-end batsmen in less than 10 overs a day. I was.
However, Pakistan also needed just 32 runs to win as the last wicket partnership began and Naseem Shah narrowed that lead by batting across the field and finding the boundary several times. In the end, Pakistan needed only 15 runs to win, with about 3 overs remaining on the day when the referee decided there was not enough light to continue play. The two groups of players shook hands, and the second test, like the first, ended in a draw.
Some were upset by the decision to potentially end the test before results were available. Among them were former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris and New Zealand star Jimmy Neesham. . “Both teams have a chance to win and will be sent off with three overs to go. Exhibit A, Why Test Cricket Has Problems. Well done to both teams who fought all the way,” Styris tweeted.
Neesham replied to Styris:
“You can sit in junk for four days to get a really compelling ending and it just won’t happen. What an absolute dog breakfast of sports.”
In doing so, Pakistan ended a streak of stunning Test defeats at home with a draw against New Zealand. They had previously had him whitewashed 3–0 by a rampant England team. This was the first time Pakistan had been whitewashed at home. They also lost to Pakistan’s home friendly four times in a row after losing to Australia in the final Test of the series in early 2022.