Tom Blundell made history on the opening day of the first Test between New Zealand and Pakistan in Karachi, but a skipper’s knock has the hosts firmly in the box seat.
History was made even before the toss was called, with the Blackcaps back on Pakistan soil for the first time since 2002.
Pakistan went on to win the flip of the coin and handed Tim Southee and his men the ball. Southee as captain introduced spinner Ajaz Patel into the attack in just the fourth over of the day, and the move paid immediate dividends as Blundell took the bails off for a stumping, with Abdullah Shafique perishing for seven.
Stumpings everywhere!!
— SENZ (@SENZ_Radio) December 26, 2022
The Blackcaps have made a great start against Pakistan!#PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/Tqkbud0scf
The wicketkeeper followed up his quick glovework with another stumping, this time off the bowling of Michael Bracewell three overs later. It meant that for the first time in men’s Test history, the first two dismissals were stumpings.
But despite the early momentum, the second dismissal saw the Kiwis run into a red-hot Babar Azam. The Pakistan captain then spent almost 85 overs at the crease on the opening day to walk off National Stadium with 161* runs to his name, including 16 boundaries. It was his ninth Test hundred.
"He takes his helmet off, looks up to the heavens."
— SENZ (@SENZ_Radio) December 26, 2022
Babar Azam collects another century in style!#PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/hdAQbTBCVH
However, it came after he was dropped by Darryl Mitchell at slip when on just 12.
Azam combined with Sarfraz Ahmed – who earned a recall for his first Test on home soil in his 50th appearance – to put on 196 for the fifth wicket before Sarfraz fell late in the day to Patel.
Azam’s knock also sees him move to 1170 runs for 2022, surpassing Joe Root and becoming the leading Test run-scorer for the year.
#PAKvNZ | Pakistan reach Day 1 stumps on 317/5.
— SENZ (@SENZ_Radio) December 26, 2022
The skipper remains unbeaten on 161 as Daniel McHardy and Richard Petrie wrap up the action from our Wellington studio. pic.twitter.com/sVfTU3VfTl
Patel finished with figures of 2-91 off his 27 overs, while Bracewell (2-61 off 15 overs) and Southee (1-51 off 19 overs) were the other Kiwis in the wickets.
Pakistan is coming off a first-ever 3-0 whitewash to England at home in the last Test series and has plenty left to prove against the Blackcaps in the two-Test series.
Image: Blackcaps Twitter @BLACKCAPS
Day one in frames 📷 = @TheRealPCB #PAKvNZ #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/RjMcrnxKBm
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 26, 2022