“Cricket can be unifier or divider, symbol of solidarity or ‘war minus the shooting.’ It is up to us.” That is how the game was once famously described by an American writer Mark Marqusee who fell for this game while in England.

To an extent I do agree to what he thought of it but having watched it first hand and for so long I also feel that this gift of a game is also a great leveller and a character builder. Its ebb and flow and its diversity and use of skills and its uncertainty and unpredictability make it even more enchanting than one would bother to think.

It shows you up as humble and humane in situations which at times became too testing. One day you are on cloud nine having scored a ton and on the other, a failure brings you down on the ground.

Pakistan having achieved what they have in matches being played here have been no doubt in their best of form of late.

Their batsmen are scoring runs and their bowlers are able to deliver when needed and their captain in Misbah-ul-Haq has led them from the front. They have started to realise the value of success, the thrill that victory brings and rewards which in the end comes through it.

Once again their approach in taking up the challenge against the lowly-placed New Zealand appears much positive which indeed is an encouraging sign of the team’s recent make-up helped by coaches including Waqar Younis, Grant Flower, and the team management.

The seriousness of the task at hand against the Kiwis is also very loud and clear as they displayed during the first day’s play in the first Test at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium finishing on a high note by scoring 269 runs for the loss of only one wicket.

The day’s play may be for some dull and dreary for its slow progress and pace which we witnessed but it certainly was also eventful day for the fact that Ahmed Shehzad scored his third hundred in Tests and along with Mohammad Hafeez shared a record stand of 178 against New Zealand. Both batted sensibly to give Pakistan a solid start.

Hafeez unlucky not to get to three figures deserved it for the mere fact that he showed a lot more confidence than his earlier 13 innings in Tests wherein he mustered only 150 runs.

As the game progresses the wicket which is already flat may even get straighter to pose problems for the bowlers. I suppose no one will be surprised if once again Pakistan leave a massive first innings score to make New Zealand uncomfortable for the rest of the match.

Losing only one wicket during the day’s play also puts Pakistan on a lot more larger canvass than before. There is a lot more discipline and motivation than ever before and also for the moment makes you believe that they are well gelled and a unified and not a divided lot.

Full marks to New Zealand too who bowled within their limitations to keep the game tight despite not being able to bag more wickets they had wished.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2014