In the first Test match between hosts Pakistan and New Zealand, the visitors gained the upper hand as they declared at 612/9 in the first innings, with a considerable lead of 174 runs. Captain Kane Williamson smashed the fifth double hundred of his career as he scored 200 off 395 balls while opener Tom Latham scored a century to make matters worse for Pakistan. Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 438 runs, with captain Babar Azam hitting 161 off 280 balls and Agha Salman getting 103 off 155 balls.
While New Zealand were strengthening their lead over the hosts with captain Williamson and Ish Sodhi at the crease, they got rewarded with five penalty runs in the third ball of 161st over as Pakistan's Nauman Ali bowled way down the leg side and wicket keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed failed to catch the spinning ball. The delivery hit a helmet placed behind the keeper and ricocheted off to the boundary. Umpire Aleem Dar signaled five penalty runs in favour of the Kiwis.
Pakistan cricket tweeted a video of the incident on Twitter with the caption ""We have to stop for a concussion protocol?" Five penalty runs to New Zealand after the ball hits the helmet. #PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai. The video soon got viral on social media.
{{/usCountry}}Pakistan cricket tweeted a video of the incident on Twitter with the caption ""We have to stop for a concussion protocol?" Five penalty runs to New Zealand after the ball hits the helmet. #PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai. The video soon got viral on social media.
{{/usCountry}}During New Zealand innings, Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed grabbed a fifer while Nauman Ali picked three wickets. The Kiwi openers had started off in a dominating manner, hitting 183 runs for the first wicket before Devon Conway got out after hitting 92 off 176 balls.
Babar-led Pakistan are under fire after they were whitewashed 3-0 by Ben Stokes-led England in the Test series at home recently. The clean sweep also put water on their slim chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship(WTC) 2021-2023 final.