Debutant spinner Ajaz Patel claimed five wickets in the second innings as New Zealand beat Pakistan by four runs on a dramatic fourth day of the opening test in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Pakistan resumed the day on 37 for no loss, needing 139 runs for a victory to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but suffered two separate batting collapses that resulted in a tense finish at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Pakistan were eventually dismissed for 171 in 58.4 overs as the visitors wrapped up the fifth-smallest win by runs in test history.
The first four-run win (and loss) in Test history! https://t.co/DtBn7qiApz #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/reSjOUquYm
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 19, 2018
"We knew the surface wasn't an easy one. There was turn from day one and all the spinners bowled well," New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson said.
"It's a great advertisement for test cricket. In the end, it came down to the wire. We'll sit down and review our performance and the things to improve upon. The attitude, certainly today and throughout the game, was brilliant."
Azhar Ali (65), who stitched together an 82-run stand with Asad Shafiq (45) to keep Pakistan's hopes alive, was the last batsman to fall when he was trapped in front of the wicket by Patel who finished with 5-59.
Ajaz Patel is the Player of the Match on debut for his second innings figures of 5/59 ??
— ICC (@ICC) November 19, 2018
He helped New Zealand claim a thrilling four run victory over Pakistan.#PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/EPr5pP9hzS
"It's a dream come true. We know Pakistan have got good players of spin, but we kept chipping in there," left-armer Patel said.
Earlier, Patel dismissed opener Imam-ul-Haq leg-before and spin partner Ish Sodhi struck twice to remove Mohammad Hafeez and Haris Sohail as Pakistan lost three batsmen in eight balls to find themselves in trouble at 48-3.
Shafiq edged pace bowler Neil Wagner to wicketkeeper BJ Watling before lunch and Babar Azam was run out after the break. Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed was then caught behind off Patel for three with his team down 154-6 and needing 22 runs to win.
What a finish in Abu Dhabi!
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 19, 2018
Debutant Ajaz Patel bowls New Zealand to their narrowest win (by runs) in Test history #PAKvNZ https://t.co/MyjWLJjtew pic.twitter.com/w7Gcrpd6ZO
Bilal Asif was bowled for a duck as he attempted to slog Patel and Wagner had Yasir Shah caught at slip. Hasan Ali was the next to go, offering a simple catch to substitute fielder Tim Southee off Patel.
Azhar played more cautiously as the wickets continued to tumble, but despite the 33-year-old's battling effort, Pakistan could not avoid defeat.
The second test will be played in Dubai from Nov. 24-28 before the teams return to Abu Dhabi for the final test from December 3-7.
1ST TEST
NEW ZEALAND 1ST INNINGS R B
Raval c Sarfraz b Abbas 7 34
Latham c Hafeez b Yasir 13 38
Williamson c Sarfraz b Hasan 63 112
Taylor c Sarfraz b Yasir 2 14
Nicholls c Sarfraz b Abbas 28 78
Watling lbw b Haris 10 35
De Grandhomme lbw b Hasan 0 1
Sodhi lbw b Haris 4 6
Wagner c Asad b Bilal 12 33
Patel lbw b Yasir 6 43
Boult not out 4 5
Extras (lb 4) 4
Total (66.3 Overs) 153 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-20 (Raval), 2-35 (Latham), 3-39 (Taylor), 4-111 (Nicholls), 5-123 (Williamson), 6-123 (De Grandhomme), 7-128 (Sodhi), 8-133 (Watling), 9-149 (Wagner), 10-153 (Patel)
Bowling
Abbas 12-7-13-2, Hasan 16-6-38-2, Bilal 13-1-33-1, Yasir 16.3-2-54-3, Haris 8-2-11-2, Hafeez 1-1-0-0
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS R B
Imam c Williamson b De Grandhomme 6 17
Hafeez c Williamson b Boult 20 31
Azhar c Watling b Boult 22 95
Haris c Latham b Sodhi 38 76
Asad b Boult 43 93
Babar c Watling b Boult 62 109
Sarfraz c Wagner b Patel 2 4
Bilal st Watling b Patel 11 24
Yasir c Watling b Wagner 9 38
Hasan c Taylor b De Grandhomme 4 10
Abbas not out 0 4
Extras (b 4, lb 4, nb 1, w 1) 10
Total (83.2 Overs) 227 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-27 (Imam), 2-27 (Hafeez), 3-91 (Haris), 4-91 (Azhar), 5-174 (Asad), 6-177 (Sarfraz), 7-195 (Bilal), 8-220 (Yasir), 9-227 (Hasan), 10-227 (Babar)
Bowling
Boult 18.2-6-54-4, De Grandhomme 13-6-30-2, Patel 24-4-64-2, Wagner 18-5-30-1, Sodhi 10-0-41-1
NEW ZEALAND 2ND INNINGS R B
Raval c Sarfraz b Hasan 46 120
Latham b Hasan 0 1
Williamson b Yasir 37 91
Taylor lbw b Hasan 19 19
Nicholls c Sarfraz b Yasir 55 171
Watling lbw b Yasir 59 145
De Grandhomme lbw b Yasir 3 8
Sodhi b Hasan 18 27
Wagner b Yasir 0 4
Patel not out 6 17
Boult c Hafeez b Hasan 0 2
Extras (b 4, nb 1, w 1) 6
Total (100.4 Overs) 249 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-0 (Latham), 2-86 (Williamson), 3-105 (Taylor), 4-108 (Raval), 5-220 (Nicholls), 6-224 (De Grandhomme), 7-227 (Watling), 8-227 (Wagner), 9-249 (Sodhi), 10-249 (Boult)
Bowling
Abbas 22-10-31-0, Hasan 17.4-3-45-5, Yasir 37-6-110-5, Haris 7-1-12-0, Bilal 14-3-43-0, Hafeez 3-1-4-0
PAKISTAN 2ND INNINGS R B
Imam lbw b Patel 27 33
Hafeez c De Grandhomme b Sodhi 10 44
Azhar lbw b Patel 65 136
Haris c & b Sodhi 4 3
Asad c Watling b Wagner 45 81
Babar run out (Sodhi/Patel) 13 21
Sarfraz c Watling b Patel 3 7
Bilal b Patel 0 2
Yasir c Taylor b Wagner 0 7
Hasan c sub (Southee) b Patel 0 8
Abbas not out 0 10
Extras (b 4) 4
Total (58.4 Overs) 171 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-40 (Imam), 2-44 (Hafeez), 3-48 (Haris), 4-130 (Asad), 5-147 (Babar), 6-154 (Sarfraz), 7-154 (Bilal), 8-155 (Yasir), 9-164 (Hasan), 10-171 (Azhar)
Bowling
Boult 7-0-29-0, De Grandhomme 3-0-15-0, Patel 23.4-4-59-5, Sodhi 12-0-37-2, Wagner 13-4-27-2
New Zealand won by four runs
MoM: Ajaz Patel (NZ)
