Karachi, Dec 26 (IANS): Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed shined in his 50th Test appearance and first at home with a gritty 86 off 153 balls against New Zealand.

Ahmed, coming in for Mohammad Rizwan to get a Test appearance after almost four years, shared a mammoth 196-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Babar lasting 56.3 to put Pakistan in a position of strength and demoralise New Zealand.

Sarfaraz joked that his heart was beating through the roof when he came out to bat.

"When I played my first three balls, if you would have measured my heartbeat, the meter would have broken. My heart was beating too fast. It was not like I was debuting, I was making a comeback and the position was crunch," Ahmed was quoted as saying.

"Babar gave me a lot of confidence and as a senior player the way he talked me through the pressure gave me a lot of confidence," Ahmed said.

However, the right hander was disappointed to not have converted his innings into a century as he edged spinner Ajaz Patel in the 86th over of the game, late in the final session of play.

"I finally got an opportunity and I hope my today's knock will help the team," Sarfaraz said. "Of course it was disappointing not to get a century in my hometown, but the partnership with Babar was more important to me."