Karachi: It was a day of firsts in Karachi during the opening day of the first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand as a Kiwi wicketkeeper Tom Blundell produced a feat never seen before in 145 years of Men’s Test cricket.
While history was made prior to the toss with New Zealand back in Pakistan for a Test series for the first time since 2002 and Pakistan veteran Sarfaraz Ahmed earning a recall for what was his first Test on home soil in his 50th appearance, what then occurred during the first session was a first in Men’s Test cricket.
Experienced Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson introduced veteran spinner Ajaz Patel into the attack in just the fourth over of the day and the move paid dividends almost immediately as Abdullah Shafique was out stumped by Blundell for seven.
Then just three overs later the Kiwis had their second and it was Shan Masood that perished this time, with the left-hander stumped by Blundell off the bowling of Michael Bracewell.
It meant the first two dismissals of the Test had been stumpings, a feat which had never been seen previously at Test level for men.
It is the second time it had occurred overall, with the Women’s Test between Australia and the West Indies in Jamaica in 1976 also commencing with two stumping dismissals. Bracewell dismissed the usually reliable Imam-ul-Haq shortly after – the Pakistan opener was out caught – giving New Zealand an excellent start to the Test match and to the series.
