The second Test between Pakistan and New Zealand ended in a dramatic draw at National Stadium, Karachi after an action-packed final day.
The visitors were one wicket away from victory while the hosts needed 15 runs when umpires declared the light unfeasible to continue with three overs remaining, resulting in a 0-0 series tie.
While Sarfaraz Ahmed produced a stunning century (118) to keep the home team in the game, Pakistan’s last pair of Naseem Shah (15*) and Abrar Ahmed (7*) played out 21 balls in fading light and their effort didn’t go in vain.
In an interaction posted on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) official Twitter handle, Naseem and Abrar recalled the nervous moments in the final few overs of the Test.
Naseem talked about the moment when Abrar arrived in the middle after Sarfaraz's dismissal.
“When he was coming in, I told (Tim) Southee - look he’s wearing glasses, it’s so late, he won’t be able to see the ball properly. This is not fair. But he walked in with style, as if he was Imran Khan. I realized this guy has confidence,” the pacer said.
Reflecting on his partnership with Naseem, Abrar stated: "Naseem told me: ‘have belief in yourself. I have seen you in the nets. You bat well, especially against spinners’. He told me to face the leg-spinner since, being one myself, I can read the googly and flipper. He decided to play the off-spinner. That was our discussion.”
Naseem also reminisced the moment in the 89th over when he smashed Kiwi spinner Michael Bracewell for a six and a boundary.
The 19-year-old further said he told Tim Southee that he would go for the chase if he kept the same field.
“Test matches are very hard to lose since we’ve been giving it our all for five days. All our efforts came down to the last 20-30 minutes and it was down to the two of us to save the match or even go for the win. I told Southee, if you keep the same field, I will go for the chase. But he sent the fielders back after that four and six. Then I decided I wouldn’t go for it and a draw would be best,” Naseem remarked.
