Pakistan vs New Zealand, 2018: 1st Test – Statistical Highlights

New Zealand went 1-0 up in the three-match Test series against Pakistan after pulling off a 4-run win in the first Test match in Abu Dhabi. Chasing 176 to win, Pakistan went down from 40/0 to 48/3 in space of eight deliveries in the morning. However, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq took Pakistan close to the target with an 82-run partnership for the 4th which was broken just before Lunch. In the second session, debutant Ajaz Patel’s bowling and poor shot selection cost Pakistan the game.

Here all the major stats and numbers recorded during the thrilling game in Abu Dhabi:

4 – The 4-run win margin in this game is the 5th lowest winning margin for any team in Test cricket. Windies’ one-run win over Australia in the 1993 Adelaide Test is the lowest winning margin for any side in this format.

This is also the narrowest Test win for New Zealand surpassing their 7-run win in the 2010 Hobart Test against Australia. Pakistan’s previous smallest Test defeat was by 21 against Sri Lanka also in Abu Dhabi last year.

5/59 – Ajaz Patel’s bowling figures in the 2nd innings are the 2nd best bowling for a New Zealand spinner on Test debut. Alex Moir took 6/155 in the 1951 Christchurch Test against England. These are also the best 4th innings bowling figures for a New Zealand player on Test debut surpassing 5/82 of Paul Wiseman against Sri Lanka in the 1998 Colombo Test.

Ajaz is only the 5th player from New Zealand to win a player of the match award on Test debut. Colin de Grandhomme was the last such player which was during the 2016 Christchurch Test also against Pakistan.

6 – Yasir Shah and Hasan Ali claiming 5-wicket hauls in New Zealand innings is the 6th instance where two Pakistan bowlers took five-fers in a Test inning. The last such instance was against Pakistan in the 2004 MCG Test. Overall, this is the 53rd such instance recorded by any team in this format with the last one being in the 2010 Chittagong Test by Bangladesh against India.

22 – The 22 runs Pakistan failed to chase when five down are the fewest runs any team has failed with five wickets in hand in the last 115 years of Test cricket. The fewest is 15 runs by England during 1882 The Oval Test against Australia.

46 – Pakistan needed 46 runs to win on 130/3 before Lunch which is the second lowest any team failed to chase in the last 115 years of Test cricket with seven wickets in hand. In the 1998 MCG Test against England, Australia were also 130/3 chasing 175. However, they could only score 32 more runs while the target from there was 45.

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