• New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 101 runs in the first Test.

  • Kane Williamson received the Player of the Match award for his sensational century.

Twitter reactions: New Zealand stuns Pakistan in a dramatic 1st Test to go top of ICC rankings
New Zealand beat Pakistan in the first Test (Image Source: @Blackcaps)

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Nerve-racking, nail-biting and full of excitement, the last Test of 2020 had all the possible ingredients to entertain fans.

Eventually, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 101 runs, but it wasn’t that easy for the hosts. The visitors exhibited top-class cricket and fighting spirit to push the game deep on the final day at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

Pakistan started the fifth day with an overnight score of 71/3, and Trent Boult provided the breakthrough straightaway after he nicked Azhar Ali (38) in the second over. The Kiwi bowlers would have anticipated an early finish, but Fawad Alam (102) and stand-in skipper Mohammad Rizwan (60) had some other plans.

While Fawad notched up his second Test century (the first one came way back in 2009), Rizwan smashed his second fifty of the match. Both the batters were looking set to take the game away from Black Caps. However, Kyle Jamieson came for New Zealand’s rescue in the 103rd over when he broke the 165-run stand by trapping Rizwan lbw. Three overs later, Neil Wagner joined the party and dismissed centurion Fawad.

In the match’s final few minutes, tailenders Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah did their best to negotiate more than seven overs, but Mitchell Santner ended the Pakistan hopes of a draw with a brilliant caught and bowled off Naseem in the 124th over.

With the victory, New Zealand have reached the top of the ICC Trest rankings for the first time.

Here is how Twitter reacted:

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About the Author:
AKSHAT GAUR
Akshat is the Sr. Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, Akshat has honed his skills over 6 years, working with various media outlets, publications, and organizations to deliver high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. He is just another cricket fan who’s grown up watching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Cricket runs in his veins. Cover drive is his favorite sight, and a ball meeting the middle of the bat is his favorite sound. You can write to him at akshat.gaur@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.