'What a comeback' - Twitter reacts to Sarfaraz Ahmed's Test return

The veteran wicketkeeper-batter scored 86 and 53 in the first Test match against New Zealand.

By Sumeet Kavthale

Updated - 30 Dec 2022, 14:58 IST

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3 Min Read

Sarfaraz Ahmed picked it up from where he had left in the first innings of the ongoing first Test match against New Zealand and scored another half-century while batting on Day 5. The former Pakistan captain scored 86 runs off 153 balls in the first innings on his return to Test cricket after almost four years. 

He made a more solid impact by scoring 53 runs off 76 balls in the second innings on Day 5 to help Pakistan take lead in the second innings of the ongoing Test at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.

Pakistan resumed their innings from 77/2 on Day 5 but lost Nauman Ali within the opening three overs. But the biggest shock came for the hosts as in-form captain Babar Azam lost his wicket at an individual score of 14 runs and Pakistan got reduced to 100/4.

But Imam-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed put together a crucial 85-run partnership for the fifth wicket to put Pakistan on track to avoid a defeat on the last day. Sarfaraz smashed his 20th Test fifty and became the only the third Pakistan batter to score twin fifties in the 50th Test match.

The 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batter scored 53 runs off 76 balls with the help of seven fours but was caught behind on Ish Sodhi's delivery. Sodhi then put the travelling side on the driving seat with two more wickets in quick successions, including the big wicket of Imam-ul-Haq who scored 96 runs off 206 balls.

Saud Shakeel is holding fort for Pakistan and is partnered by Mohammad Wasim as the hosts eye a sizeable lead and try to keep the Kiwi bowlers at bay. For New Zealand, Sodhi has taken five wickets and Michael Bracewell has grabbed two to cancel out Imam-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed's fifties.

Here is how Twitter reacted to Sarfaraz Ahmed's back-to-back fifties on his Test return:

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