ICC World Test Championship 
New Zealand VS Pakistan 
2nd Test Played at Christchurch From 3 -6 January 2021 
Brief Scorecard 
Pakistan 1st Innings 297 in 83.5 Overs (Azhar Ali 93, Mohammad Rizwan 61, Faheem Ashraf 48, Zafar Gohar 34, Abid Ali 25, Kyle Jamieson 5/69, Tim Southee 2/61) and 2nd Innings 186 All Out in 81.4 Overs (Azhar Ali 37, Zafar Gohar 37, Faheem Ashraf 28, Abid Ali 26, Kyle Jamieson 6/48) , Trent Boult 3/43) 
Lost to 
New Zealand Only Innings: 649/6 in 158.5 Overs (Kane Williamson 238, Henry Nichols 157, Daryl Mitchel 102*, Tom Latham 33, Kyle Jamieson 30*, Mohammad Abbas 2/98, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2/101, Fahim Ashraf 2/ 106) 
By an Innings and 176 Runs.
New Zealand Won The Series 2-0 
Player Of The Match: Kyle Jamieson For Match Tally of 11/ 117 
Player Of The Series: Kane Williamson. 

Well-oiled New Zealand team firing in all cylinders comprehensively whitewashed Pakistan in the test series delivering another huge defeat by an innings and 176 runs in the just concluded 2nd test at Christchurch. 

Put in to bat Pakistan did not do all that bad scoring 297 in the first innings on typical bowling friendly Christchurch wicket against very potent 5 prong pace attack of Southee, Boult, Jamieson, Mat Henry and Daryl Mitchell. On a wicket having disconcerting bounce Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Abbas and Fahim Ashraf also troubled Kiwi batsmen. But Pakistan dropped at least half a dozen catches and lost the initiative. Then they were mercilessly punished by Williamson (237), Nicholls (157), Mitchel 102*. New Zealand declared at mammoth score of 649/6.  The ace Kiwi batsman Williamson became a member of elite 7000 test runs club. 

Batting on the deteriorating difficult wicket Pakistan could master only 186 in the second Innings. Pakistan batsmen lacked skill and temperament of playing quality attack on bowling friendly condition. 

With half a dozen quality pace bowlers Southee, Boult, Wagner, Jamieson, Ferguson and Henry New Zealand has possibly the best pace attack for test at the moment. Specially their bowling turned Kiwis as an unbeatable proposition in home condition. Similarly in Williamson, Nichols, Taylor, Latham New Zealand perhaps now the best batting unit.

New Zealand after consecutive series white wash of West Indies and Pakistan are new leaders of ICC test ranking. Arguably New Zealand now possess their best ever batting as well as the bowling unit. In home condition Kiwis appear unbeatable side. Bangladesh must take some lessons from the New Zealand Pakistan series.

It is own observation that New Zealand for sure and one among India , Australia and England would play in the ICC Test Championship final. There is not much to criticize Pakistan performance. Against a very strong New Zealand team with understrength batting unit Pakistan could not have performed better under any team management. But their fielding was terribly poor.  Dropping 6 catches on an average every test a team cannot prove competitive against any strong opposition.

Pakistan will host South Africa at home. Whatever Pakistan performed against New Zealand they will compete far better at home if only they improve their fielding a great deal. Babar Azam should be back in action. Imam Ul Haq should be slotted at top order. Yasir and Shadab would be a factor in Pakistan condition.

BDST: 1305 HRS, JAN 06, 2021
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