Fawad Alam hits century after decade, but Pakistan collapse vs New Zealand in Bay Oval Test

Fawad Alam made a comeback to Test cricket after a gap of 10 years and 259 days during the Test match against England in Southampton. The 3910-day break from his last Test in 2009 till 2020 was not the longest but it felt like an eternity. After being dismissed for 0 in England, Fawad Alam was included in the Test squad for the two-match series against New Zealand which is also part of the ICC World Test Championship. After 4000 days, more than three months after his Test comeback, Fawad Alam showed his mettle as he smashed a century and put Pakistan on course to saving the Test match at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.

Pakistan were reeling at 75/4 but Fawad Alam and Mohammad Rizwan shared a 165-run stand which consumed 380 balls from day four to day five. The first two sessions went wicketless for New Zealand as both Fawad Alam and skipper Mohammad Rizwan shared a solid partnership. Rizwan went past his fifty and it seemed New Zealand would be left ruing some missed chances. However, with the second new ball, Kyle Jamieson trapped Rizwan LBW.

However, as the game progressed, Fawad Alam notched up his century but he could not carry on as Neil Wagner, bowling with a fractured toe, dismissed him for 102 as New Zealand created an opening.

Fawad Alam’s batting stance

Fawad Alam has modified his batting stance, almost copying Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s style of batting with an open stance. Fawad Alam has the best First Class average in Pakistan with over 56. However, this knock has once again shown how valuable he is in the Pakistan batting line-up.

Pakistan lost the three Twenty20 International series 1-2 while in the ICC World Test Championship, they have not yet gotten going after losses in England while they have only managed a win against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. A win for New Zealand will make the race for the ICC World Test Championship final even more interesting following Australia’s loss to India.