It has been a great comeback to the Test team for former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed. While he got out for 86 in the 1st Innings of the 1st Test match against New Zealand and even got to lead the team for a while with Babar Azam not taking the field with flu and substitute Mohammad Rizwan not allowed to take leadership decision as per the laws of the game, he looked set to score a hundred in the second Test.

However, this time around a contentious third-umpire decision denied him a Test century. The incident occurred on Day 3 of the second Test when the Men in Green were enjoying a great outing. The team was looking good with Saud Shakeel batting on 100 and Sarfaraz also looking set to get past the three figures mark. However, after overturning an LBW decision through DRS, Sarfaraz went back when a contentious decision went against him in the same over.

Daryll Mitchell was introduced into the attack for the first time in the match and in the third ball of this over, Sarfaraz lost his balance and dragged his foot out of the crease. While the initial angle suggested that Sarfaraz was short of his crease, the leg-side camera visuals showed that Sarfaraz’s backfoot was actually grounded when wicketkeeper Tom Blundell whipped the bails off.

Third-umpire Ahsan Raza, however, deemed it out.

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Out or not out❓#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai pic.twitter.com/CrWUuFuTZD

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 4, 2023

In response to New Zealand’s 442 in the first innings which they posted with the help of a century from Devon Conway and half-centuries from Tom Latham, Blundell and tailender Matt Henry, Pakistan ended Day 3 at 407/9. Other than Sarfaraz, who got out for 78, Shakeel remains unbeaten on 124. Imam Ul Haq also chipped in with 83 runs. The first Test between both the countries had ended in a draw.