Pakistan captain Babar Azam is dejected by the team's winless home season but refuses to blame players' injuries or unresponsive pitches for their lean run.

New Zealand set Pakistan a tricky target of 319 and then landed two late blows to boost their hopes of a series-clinching victory in the second test on Thursday.

Pakistan staved off a fifth consecutive defeat at home with a hard-fought draw in the first Test in Karachi Friday despite career-best bowling figures from New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.

Pakistan will need to bat-out the last day to avoid defeat in the first Test after New Zealand gained the upper hand Thursday through a masterly undefeated double-hundred by Kane Williamson in Karachi.

Babar Azam knocked a fighting hundred and the recalled Sarfaraz Ahmed hit a half century to guide Pakistan to a healthy 317-5 on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Karachi on Monday.

England found ways to take wickets and sensed a good lead despite hundreds from three Pakistan players on the third day of the opening Test in Rawalpindi Saturday.

Captain Babar Azam told his rejuvenated Pakistan side on Saturday to ride the wave of four consecutive victories and win the Twenty20 World Cup final.

Pakistan's best is yet to come and struggling skipper Babar Azam is due something "very special" in their Twenty20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand on Wednesday, team mentor Matthew Hayden warned.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam should stand aside and give Mohammad Haris his opener slot to boost their top order firepower in Wednesday's Twenty20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, former captain Shahid Afridi said.

Pakistan managed to register their first win of the T20 World Cup as they brushed aside the Netherlands by six wickets in a must-win affair at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday.

Captain Babar Azam's half-century inspired Pakistan to their second win in the Twenty20 international tri-series in Christchurch on Saturday, coasting past New Zealand by six wickets.

Captain Babar Azam's half-century inspired Pakistan to their second win in the Twenty20 international tri-series in Christchurch on Saturday, coasting past New Zealand by six wickets.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said Monday that he hopes a seven-match series against England starting in Karachi this week will help him return to his best scoring form, after a lean Asia Cup earlier this month.

Pakistan coach Saqlain Mushtaq defended his team's Twenty20 playing style after losing Sunday's Asia Cup final, saying they were on the right track for next month's T20 World Cup.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa on Sunday said Sri Lanka's cricket has proved a point to the world with their sixth Asia Cup title after his unbeaten 71 set up a commanding 23-run win over Pakistan.

Sri Lanka exude confidence at the moment, having secured four back-to-back victories that begun with the win over Bangladesh. They geared for the final with a win in the dead-rubber Super Four stage game against Pakistan in what was a dress rehearsal for the final. Their plans have been like clockwork, especially with the bat.

Anew batter has scaled the peak of the MRF Tyres ICC Men's Player Rankings for T20Is after his exceptional performances in the Asia Cup.

Virat Kohli believes there is a healthy amount of respect between the India and Pakistan players, despite the fierce on-field rivalry between the two sides.

There is a certain camaraderie among the current generation of India and Pakistan players. Virat Kohli's gesture to Shaheen Afridi or Harris Rauf, and his remarks about Babar Azam all set a friendly tone. But beneath the surface, it is still an India-Pakistan clash and it still is arguably the biggest rivalry in world cricket despite the fact that the archnemesis only meet each other in multi-nation events. At the tip of that rivalry is the competitive wonders that are Kohli and Babar Azam.

Debutant pace bowler Naseem Shah stood out for Pakistan with figures of 2-27 but a foot injury in the last few overs had him limping as India took control with the right-left batting pair of Pandya and Jadeja. Pakistan skipper, the losing captain, during post-match did admit his side missed the services of pacer Shaheen Afridi, who was forced out of the six-nation tournament through injury.