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The ongoing first of the two Tests between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi will mark the last Test match of 2022.
Despite T20 cricket being the flavor of the season in 2022 due to the T20 World Cup in Australia, the year saw some great battles between the top nations in red-ball cricket. All Test playing countries did their best to rise up the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 table and produced some fascinating cricket in the process.
Moreover, several debutants managed to impress everyone in the longest format of the game. Despite starting their red-ball careers for their respective countries in 2022, a few players took to the occasion like fish to water.
On that note, let's take a look at three bowlers who enjoyed dream Test debuts in 2022.
#3 Matty Potts - 4/13 & 3/55 vs New Zealand in London (Lord's)
It was all merry for Matty Potts, who made his Test debut for England at the iconic Lord's ground against New Zealand earlier this year. His first Test wicket was none other than Kane Williamson, who is part of the modern-day 'Fab-four'.
After New Zealand opted to bat first, England ran riot against the Kiwis and bundled them out for 132 in 40 overs. While James Anderson set the tone early by removing the Kiwi openers, Potts announced his arrival in his very first over when he dismissed Williamson with an outswinging delivery.
He soon removed Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, and Ajaz Patel as well to finish with a spell of 4/13.
In the second innings, the 24-year old pacer took three more scalps, including outfoxing Williamson for the second time.
Potts finished the match with a total of seven wickets as England eventually won the match by five wickets. Joe Root was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his match-winning century in the fourth innings.
#2 Abrar Ahmed - 7/113 & 4/120 vs England in Multan
The most recent entrant on the list, Abrar Ahmed stunned England with his brilliant leg-spin and took the cricket world by storm.
In his debut Test against England in Multan earlier this month, Abrar left the English batters clueless and picked up seven wickets in his first innings.
The visitors, who were 1-0 up in the three-match series, won the toss and decided to bat first. They were reduced to 180/5 in 33 overs by lunch, with Abrar Ahmed taking all five wickets.
The England batters couldn't read Abrar, who weaved his magic and utilized the turning track in Karachi to great effect. Abrar became just the second Pakistan bowler after Wahab Riaz to take a five-for on his first day of Test cricket.
He added two more after lunch to take each of the first seven wickets before Zahid Mahmood cleaned up the remaining three.
Abrar's stunning debut saw England bowled out for 281 after a promising start that had seen them get to 117/1.
In England's second innings, after they had a sizeable 79-run lead, Abrar once again proved to be a menace. The 24-year mystery tweaker was Pakistan's highest wicket-taker in the innings, taking a brilliant four-wicket haul, which included the key wickets of Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Joe Root, and Ollie Robinson.
While Pakistan lost the Test match in the end, Abrar certainly made a statement with his skillful spell.
#1 Prabath Jayasuriya - 6/118 & 6/59 vs Australia in Galle
Despite playing just three Tests across the year, Prabath Jayasuriya ended 2022 as one of the most proficient bowlers. The left-arm spinner has added a lot of value to the Sri Lankan bowling attack and has picked up a total of 29 wickets at an outstanding average of 20.37 in just 6 innings.
Jayasuriya started his Test career in remarkable fashion when he proved to be Sri Lanka's wrecker-in-chief against Australia in the second and final Test in Galle in July this year.
After the hosts took a 10-wicket hammering in the previous Test, Sri Lanka made the inspired decision to include Prabath Jayasuriya. It took a while for the 31-year-old to get his first Test wicket in the form of Marnus Labuschagne, but there was no looking back as he added five more in quick succession.
Jayasuriya's wily left-arm off-break left the Aussie batting department befuddled as his incredible spell of 6/118 restricted Australia to 364 in their first innings.
In the second innings, Sri Lanka enjoyed a 190-run lead thanks to Dinesh Chandimal's heroic batting efforts (206*).
Jayasuriya continued his brilliant form in the third innings and ran through the Aussie lineup in a hurry on a surface which wasn't a particular rank-turner. Australia lost nine wickets in a single session, with Jayasuriya outdoing Usman Khawaja, Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, and Mitchell Swepson.
As a result, Sri Lanka recorded their first-ever innings victory in Test cricket against Australia.
Jayasuriya ended the match with figures of 12/177 - the best by any bowler for Sri Lanka on debut and the fourth-best overall.
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