Cricket: Black Caps can’t dwell on missed chance after Babar Azam makes them pay in first test in Pakistan

The Black Caps are in an arm wrestle in their first test against Pakistan. Photo / AP

OPINION

Give a batsman a chance to settle in test cricket and they’ll make you pay.

After being dropped by Daryl Mitchell in the slips on 12 early on day one in the Black Caps’ first test against Pakistan, Babar Azam proved that point against the New Zealand attack in Karachi.

Babar ended the day having scored more than half of his side’s total - unbeaten on 161 as Pakistan reached 317-5 at stumps and put his side in a good position heading into day two. Babar and Sarfaraz Ahmed were at the crease for almost two full sessions in a stand of 196, after the Black Caps struck early and often.

The dropped catch proved to be a turning point and, while the Black Caps were left to run the missed opportunity, spinner Ajaz Patel said it was hard to say what the magnitude of that play was.

“It’s very difficult to say as a player, but in saying that, Babar made the most of his chance and bat really well,” Patel said.

“He continued to put pressure on us when we were starting to build momentum and at the same time, we put him under pressure and he soaked it up. He played a brilliant innings and that partnership was really crucial between him and Sarfaraz.

“No one wants to drop catches. It happens sometimes, and that’s just the nature of the game.”

The Black Caps spin-heavy attack was on top early in the first session, with wickets to Patel and two to Michael Bracewell leaving Pakistan reeling at 48-3 just 15 overs into their innings after they won the toss and decided to bat.

The first 30 minutes of the innings saw the Black Caps make test history as, for the first time, the first two wickets to fall in the match were stumpings.

Babar and Saud Shakeel were able to steady things with a 62-run partnership before the latter was dismissed just before lunch in the 29th over, where Pakistan went into the sheds 115-4.

The Black Caps did not strike again until the 86th over, this time Mitchell making no mistake in the slips to dismiss Sarfaraz for 86 to give Patel his second wicket for the innings.

“I think if you look at the end of the day, it’s a very balanced first day,” Patel said.

“The pitch was interesting. Early in the day I thought the pitch was really good; later on in the day it got a lot tougher. For us, it’s about really making sure that when the surface is providing something we make full use of it, make the most out of it then, when it does flatten out, to really apply ourselves and make sure we’re bowling in good areas for long periods of time.

“We’ve seen the Pakistani players are very good players of spin, and they really applied themselves, played some really good shots and kept putting us under pressure. We just have to make sure we’re on top of our game, understanding what the pitch is doing and how the surface is playing, and we adapt to that.”