New Zealand's new Test captain Tim Southee has defended his tactics after the Black Caps failed to force victory in the opening Test against Pakistan and had to settle for a draw despite taking a strong position in the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand were unable to bowl out Pakistan on the fifth and final day of the match after getting Imam-ul-Haq, who rescued the hosts from a difficult position with help from wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed (53), out with the hosts leading by just 30 runs and with just three wickets in hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Saud Shakeel (55 not out) and No. 9 batter Mohammad Wasim (43) raised 71 runs for the eighth wicket and Pakistan skipper Babar Azam made a sudden declaration to set New Zealand a target of 138 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The visitors eventually could manage to reach 61\/1 in 23 overs as bad light forced an early end to the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After the match, Southee was asked whether he regretted declaring New Zealand's first innings at 612-9 after his predecessor Kane Williamson brought up his fifth Test double-hundred on the fourth day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I guess in hindsight you've got that, but I think we gave ourselves four sessions to bowl Pakistan out and chase down whatever we needed to," Southee said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Kane played extremely well alongside Ish to get us into a position where we could declare. There wasn't a lot of assistance in the surface for a long time throughout this test match and for us to get into a position after losing the toss, to push for a win … I guess we played some great cricket to get to that position."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand also dropped a few chances, especially the chance missed by spinner Ajaz Patel, who could not hold a throw from Nehry Nicholls and effect the round out of Mir Hamza during the final session. Pakistan were 280\/8 in the 95th over with the lead at 106.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I wouldn't say chances slipped away. We had to hang in and take chances. To have lost the toss and have had a chance was pleasing. Late in the third innings, they played nicely. There was a bit of assistance if bowled in the right areas," Southee said after the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I guess we got ourselves in a position to have won this test match," the New Zealand skipper acknowledged.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"But Pakistan showed some resistance today and especially in their lower order. The position we got into, it would have been nice to have pushed on and got a win but it's been a pretty tough five days and there's a lot of positives we can take out of it," he was quoted as saying by stuff.com.au.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I guess we got ourselves in a position to have won this test match," the New Zealand skipper acknowledged.<\/p>\r\n\r\n