The Black Caps’ return to Pakistan ended in ambivalence. Ish Sodhi’s return to the Black Caps, however, was an unequivocal success.
Sodhi threatened to spin his side to victory on the fifth day of the first test in Karachi, taking career-best figures of 6-86 before an obstinate Pakistan did enough to earn a draw.
That result had long looked the likely destination for this test, though there was a late twist in the journey.
Having batted themselves into a position of apparent safety, the hosts made a shock declaration with 15 overs to play, setting New Zealand a target of 138.
Chasing 9.2 an over, the promoted Michael Bracewell was bowled out early, before Tom Latham and Devon Conway cracked a few boundaries and caused a bit of consternation.
But after the Black Caps had advanced to 61-1 - still needing 77 runs from 45 balls - bad light brought a halt to play and a lively climax gave way to more considered reflections.
On a micro level, there were a couple of squandered opportunities in the final session for the tourists to ponder before the second test starts at the same venue on January 2.
First, when Pakistan had two wickets left and a lead of 106, Ajaz Patel fumbled a run-out chance at the non-striker’s end. Then, with the deficit at 116, replays showed Sodhi had trapped Mir Hamza in front, but the bowler was the only interested party and, in any case, skipper Tim Southee had exhausted his reviews.
Taking a macro view, other questions may fill the Black Caps’ minds as the calendar flips to 2023.
Did Kane Williamson and Sodhi bat too conservatively in the first two sessions of day four, failing to adequately advance the match? Could Southee have declared before his predecessor had reached a groundbreaking 200, allowing additional time for what became a dramatic denouement?
Any inquest would be understandable. Although New Zealand had previously won only two tests in Pakistan, this was not the typical challenge posed by a trip to the subcontinent.
The pitch was flat, providing turn but little else. The crowd was sparse, the conditions relatively cool. And the opposition were weakened, without their three best seamers and with a record of five defeats in their last six home tests.
The match will loom as a missed opportunity to end a year that began with a historic home loss to Bangladesh by earning a momentous result on the road. But one player at least grasped the opening that arrived with his name on the teamsheet.
Midway through the middle session last night, when Sodhi struck in consecutive overs to remove first-innings centurion Agha Salman and opener Imam-ul-Haq, New Zealand appeared on the verge of victory.
The hosts had been reduced 206-7, leading by 32 runs, and the Black Caps had ample time to dispatch the tail, chase a meagre target and walk away with a win from their first test in Pakistan since 2002.
But the fact that scenario failed to transpire should distinguish little from Sodhi’s first test in more than four years.
Ish Sodhi celebrates after taking the wicket of Imam-ul-Haq. Photo / AP
Loose in the first innings, as Pakistan were dismissed for 438 after winning the toss, Sodhi would have at least been buoyed by taking a couple of late wickets.
The confidence gained from his 40th and 41st test scalps seemed to seep into the 30-year-old’s bat, compiling a new high score of 65 while providing invaluable support as Williamson guided his side to 612-9.
Then, late on the fourth day, with the home side attempting to remove all intrigue ahead of day five, Sodhi began to turn the match.
Easily the tourists’ most threatening bowler in the final session, that danger led to joyous celebrations in the third-to-last over when his lbw of Shan Masood left Pakistan on 77-2 at stumps.
Better was to come last night. With Sodhi’s first ball on day five, he deceived Babar Azam to earn a plumb lbw, the skipper’s desperate review serving only to illustrate the importance of the wicket.
For his next trick, Sodhi induced a faint bottom edge to remove Sarfaraz Ahmed for 53. Then, with a perfect googly, the legspinner rocked the stumps of Salman, before repeating the dose with a wide delivery to have Imam stumped smartly by Tom Blundell for 96.
Unfortunately for New Zealand, that was when Saud Shakeel (55no) and Mohammad Wasim (43) steadily defused all tension, though Sodhi still found a way to trap the latter with a flipper.
Those heroics weren’t quite enough to produce a result, however, and nor was the Pakistani declaration.
Once they’ve caught their breath, the Black Caps will feel a series victory is well within reach next week. Sodhi will feel - justifiably - he’s done enough to play a part in many more victories to come.
