'Quite surreal' – Ajaz Patel on cloud nine after dream debut

Comfortably placed at 130/3 in their chase of 176 on the fourth day of the first Test, Pakistan collapsed quite dramatically to lose seven wickets for 41 runs, four of which were picked up by Patel including the final one that gave New Zealand a narrow four-run victory.

Patel finished with figures of 5/59 and was chosen the Player of the Match for his game-changing spell. "It's still quite surreal at the moment," Patel said after the win.

"It'll sink in the next couple of days, but I wouldn't have dreamt it to start any better. To do it in that fashion is quite special. I never really looked at what the score was. I was just looking to hit my areas and make use of that wicket. We wanted to play the long game and stay in the game for as long as possible."

Azhar Ali (65) was the lone ranger for Pakistan once the 82-run stand between him and Asad Shafiq (45) was broken. He held one end up even as wickets fell at the other and was the last man to fall, trapped lbw by Patel.

Ali reviewed it, though, to stall New Zealand's celebrations for a moment. "When he did review it, I was just on the ground looking at the big screen hoping it falls on the right way," Patel recalled.

But the reviews upheld the on-field decision and New Zealand could celebrate a fine come-from-behind win. "It was a very nervous time. It's not often you get a wicket like that and it's a great opportunity to be in the last innings and win a Test for your country," said Patel.

This win was also the narrowest for New Zealand in terms of runs in all of their Test history and was the fifth-narrowest in all Test cricket. The second Test begins on Saturday, 24 November in Dubai.