‘I told Southee, if you keep the same field…’: Naseem Shah recalls dramatic final minutes of 2nd Test vs New Zealand
In an interaction posted on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) official Twitter handle, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed relieved the nervous moments in the final few overs of the Karachi Test.
Pakistan were 287/9 when Sarfaraz Ahmed got out while chasing the target of 319 runs in the second Test match against New Zealand at Karachi on Friday. Just 39 balls were remaining to be bowled and Pakistan needed 32 more runs to win with one wicket in hand. At that stage, Pakistan's 11th man Abrar Ahmed walked to the crease and joined tail-ender Naseem Shah. The puzzled duo were in a soup, as all three results- win for Pakistan, loss for Pakistan or a draw, was in their hands as the last remaining pair.
Naseem and Abrar survived for 21 balls to deny New Zealand a win. In the 89th over, Naseem slammed New Zealand's spinner Michael Bracewell for a six and four to give the visitors a scare as the equation came down to 17 runs required for a Pakistan win. However, after the completion of 90 overs, the match resulted in a draw. In an interaction posted on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) official Twitter handle, both Pakistani batters relieved the nervous moments in the final few overs of the Test. Naseem talked about the moment when Abrar walked in to bat 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,” revealed Naseem.
Abrar then reflected on how his partner Naseem boosted his confidence in their endeavour to get a favourable result for Pakistan.
"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,” shared Abrar.
Naseem also reminisced the moment in the 89th over when he fetched a six and a four off New Zealand's spinner Michael Bracewell. He shared what he told New Zealand captain Tim Southee as Pakistan then needed just 17 more runs to win the Test.
“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.”
In the two-match Test series, wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed emerged as the Player of the Series. He slammed 335 runs at an incredible average of 83.75 in the two Tests and was the highest run-getter in the series too.