NZ vs PAK: Five most memorable Test Matches of all time

New Zealand did have the edge during the T20I series over Pakistan who are down with injuries in the ongoing tour. The Blackcaps were successful in clinching the T20I series and now aim for the Test series which begins on Boxing Day at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The history between the two teams extends way back to 1955 when it comes to Test cricket. Here are the top five matches between New Zealand and Pakistan in Test cricket:

National Stadium in Karachi, 1955:

Pakistan and New Zealand faced off for the first time in Test cricket in the 1955 series hosted by Pakistan. The first game was played at the National Stadium in Karachi where the Kiwis elected to bat. They were dismissed for just 164 and later kept Pakistan down to 289. New Zealand seemed to be on their way to avoid an innings defeat when they moved to 109/5 in the 2nd essay. But Zulfiqar Ahmed completed 11 wickets in the match to wrap up New Zealand for only 124 and ensure an innings and 1-run win for Pakistan.

University Oval in Dunedin, 2009:

#OnThisDay in 2009, a 19-year old @Umar96Akmal scored a hundred on Test Debut in New Zealand.

At one stage, Pakistan was 85-5 and Umar found the best of all batting partners, his brother @KamiAkmal23, both of them then steadied Pakistan’s ship with a partnership of 176 runs. pic.twitter.com/33d2okb6QR

— Hussain Faraz (@sindhiboy101) November 26, 2019

Pakistan’s 3-match Test series in 2009 against New Zealand began at the University Oval in Dunedin. New Zealand took an early lead in the match as they claimed a 97-run lead in the first-innings. But the dominance didn’t last long as the Kiwis were bowled out for just 153 in their 2nd innings. With 251 runs to win the game, Pakistan seemed to come back strong as they reached 161/5. But they got bowled out for 218 as the home team bowlers stunned Pakistan and saw their team to a 32-run win.

Carisbrook in Dunedin 1985:

New Zealand led the 1985 home Test series against Pakistan with 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. The final Test in Dunedin started with Pakistan making 241/2 in their first-innings before getting bowled out for only 274 thanks to a sensational spell by Sir Richard Hadlee. However, the visitors got a 54-run lead after Wasim Akram’s 5-wicket haul bundled New Zealand to just 220. Qasim Umar, who made 96 in the first-innings, scored 89 in the second essay to help Pakistan finish with 223.

New Zealand walked out to bat for a 278-run chase but lost four wickets for just 23 runs on the board. Martin Crowe found support from Jeremy Coney as the duo stitched a 157-run partnership. Wasim Akram completed 10 wickets in the game to leave New Zealand at 228/8. Coney was left with the last man Ewen Chatfield as dashing all-round Lance Cairns got retired hurt. Coney and Chatfield pair got the remaining 50 runs by battling out for 104 minutes. Coney finished with an unbeaten 111 to seal a series win for the hosts.

Seddon Park in Hamilton, 1993:

Pakistan featured in a one-off Test match in New Zealand during the tour in 1993 at Hamilton’s Seddon Park. New Zealand took a 48-run lead in the first-innings thanks to a 5-wicket haul from Murphy Su’a and a 133-run knock by Mark Greatbatch. Danny Morrison’s 5-wicket haul in the second essay saw Pakistan bowl out for only 174 and set a target of just 127 in front of the home side. Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis stunned the hosts with 5-wicket hauls as they collapsed to just 93 runs from standing tall at 65/3.

Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, 2018:

#OnThisDay in 2018, Pakistan lost seven wickets for 41 runs as New Zealand snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in Abu Dhabi ?

The four-run win was the fifth-closest in terms of runs in men’s Test history.

Do you remember who the Player of the Match was? pic.twitter.com/GZGCkZSwSh

— ICC (@ICC) November 19, 2020

Pakistan and New Zealand battled out on a turning track in Abu Dhabi part of the 3-match Test series in 2018. New Zealand got bowled out for only 153 after electing to bat first but managed to keep Pakistan down to 227. In the second essay, they made 249 with fifties from Henry Nicholls and BJ Watling. Chasing a target of 176 runs, Pakistan lost three wickets for 8 runs after an opening partnership of 40 runs.

Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq brought down the required runs to 46 with their stand of 82 runs. Later, they lost the wickets of Shafiq and Babar Azam but stood only 22 runs away from the win. Ajaz Patel, on his Test debut, bagged a 5-wicket haul to seal a 4-run win for New Zealand by dismissing Azhar who scored 65 runs off 136 balls.