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Pakistan v New Zealand 2022/23

Marks out of 10: Pakistan player ratings for their drawn Test series against New Zealand

A look at how Babar, Imam and Pakistan players fared in the Test series against New Zealand
by Shashwat Kumar 4 minute read

Here is a look at how the Pakistan players fared in the Test series against New Zealand.

Abdullah Shafique – 2/10

2 matches, 43 runs at 10.75, HS: 19

Shafique had a poor series. He could not give Pakistan the solid opening stands they craved and looked a little edgy for the first time in his brief international career.

Imam-ul-Haq – 7/10

2 matches, 215 runs at 53.75, HS: 96

Unlike Shafique, Imam was among the runs throughout the series. He did not register a hundred but played a crucial second-innings knock in the first Test, giving Pakistan the luxury of being funky later in the day and allowing a declaration. That said, he might be slightly disappointed that he let go of a chance to make an impact on the final day of the series.

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Saud Shakeel – 7/10

2 matches, 234 runs at 117.00, HS: 125*

The numbers are excellent; he is clearly a consistent run-scorer. However, his sluggish scoring in the second Test while staving off the prospect of a defeat also hindered Pakistan’s pursuit of victory. A likely candidate to slot in at three if Pakistan move on from Shan Masood.

Sarfaraz Ahmed – 9/10

2 matches, 335 runs at 83.75 HS: 118

A fairytale comeback for Sarfaraz. The former Pakistan captain passed fifty every time he batted and finished the series with more than 100 more runs than any other Pakistani batter.

Shan Masood – 3/10

2 matches, 68 runs at 17.00, HS: 35

Masood did not enjoy the best of series. He looked good at times without really notching up anything substantial. His spot is vulnerable, especially after a pair of loose dismissals in the second Test.

Babar Azam – 7/10

2 matches, 226 runs at 56.5, HS: 161

Babar produced a sumptuous hundred in the first Test, although he went off the boil after that, scoring only 65 runs from three innings. That said, his knock in the first innings at Karachi was a thing of beauty and one that will live long in the memory.

Agha Salman – 8/10

2 matches, 180 runs at 45, HS: 103; 4 wickets at 32.75, BBI: 3-76

After a quiet series against England Salman excelled with more bat and ball against New Zealand. He was a potent option with the ball and showed that he was under-bowled against England and with the bat, he was nagging presence at No. 7 and looks capable of batting higher if required. Like Shakeel, a good find for Pakistan in an otherwise joyless set of home Tests.

Abrar Ahmed – 6/10

2 matches, 11 wickets at 43.63, BBI: 5-205

Abrar did not pick up as many wickets as he did against England but he was comfortably Pakistan’s most successful bowler. In fact, no other Pakistan bowler picked up more than four wickets in the series. A rare bright spot in what was otherwise a largely toothless bowling effort.

Naseem Shah – 8/10

1 match, 4 wickets at 28.5, BBI: 3-71

Naseem only played once in the series but when he did, his class stood out. He picked up four wickets in the second Test, which was one more than what Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza and Mohammad Wasim combined for throughout the series. Had Naseem been fit for the first Test too, things could have panned out differently.

Mohammad Wasim – 5/10

1 match, 45 runs at 22.5, HS: 43; 1 wicket at 120, BBI: 1-105

Wasim was not very effective with the ball, only managing a solitary wicket. With the bat, though, he did score a vital 43 in the second innings of the first Test, taking Pakistan to relative safety. A promising outing, at best, for the youngster.

Nauman Ali – 4/10

1 match, 3 wickets at 61.66, BBI 3-185

Nauman toiled for 63 overs but only picked up three wickets. He was not as penetrative as Pakistan would have wanted to be and this series only proved that he might not be the genuine wicket-taking spinner Pakistan are looking for.

Hasan Ali – 4/10

1 match, 1 wicket at 111, BBI: 1-39

Hasan was brought in from the cold and at times, his rustiness showed.

Mir Hamza – 4/10

2 matches, 1 wicket at 197, BBI: 1-38

Hamza played his second and third Tests this series, more than four years after his debut against Australia. It did not quite go to plan, though. A solitary wicket across four innings is not what Pakistan would have wanted from someone being cast as a potential replacement for Shaheen Shah Afridi. He gets a mark for the cracking delivery to dismiss Devon Conway, though. Bowled better than what his figures suggest.

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