Pakistan reached 281 for five on day one of the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test in Rawalpindi on Monday, as four batters struck half-centuries and bad light stopped play 15 minutes before schedule.
Captain Babar Azam and two debutants led the scoring on a green pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl, but the call backfired as Pakistan’s top order cashed in.
Debutant Tayyab Arif scored 57 from 51 balls, while fellow debutant Mohammad Taha made a patient 51. Babar added 50, and Saud Shakeel finished unbeaten on 57, with Ghazi Ghori seven not out at stumps.
Debutants set the tone in Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test
Tayyab and Azan Awais gave Pakistan a fast start with an 86-run opening stand. Awais scored 30 from 35 balls before Milan Rathnayaka had him caught behind by Kusal Mendis in the 16th over. It was Sri Lanka’s first breakthrough after a testing morning for its pace attack.
Tayyab, 20 years old and playing his maiden first-class season, struck nine fours and a six in his 51-ball knock. Asitha Fernando then found an edge off his bat to Mendis, leaving Pakistan on 90 for two.
Taha held the innings together after that. He faced 105 balls for his 51 and gave the middle order a base to build on. His fifty, on debut, showed the value of the new faces in the side. Pakistan handed Test debuts to four players in this match: Tayyab, Taha, all-rounder Arafat Minhas and pace bowler Saqib Khan.
Babar fifty but century wait goes on
Babar looked in good touch before Dilshan Madushanka dismissed him after the lunch break. He struck seven fours in a 58-ball 50, but the wait for a Test century goes on. Babar has now gone 41 innings without a Test hundred. His last century came against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022.
Salman Agha made 16 before Mendis took his fourth catch of the innings off him. Saud then guided Pakistan through the final session with an unbeaten 57 from 112 balls, his 12th Test fifty.
Fernando was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers, taking two wickets for 64 runs. Sri Lanka went into the match with a pace quartet and no frontline spinner, a call that could prove costly. The pitch offered little to the fast bowlers, and the visitors struggled to break through once the openers had settled.
What the first day means for Pakistan
The day belonged to Pakistan’s new blood. Two debutants scored fifties, and the side posted a strong total on a pitch that had looked helpful for the bowlers at the toss. Dawn’s day-one report and Geo Super’s stumps coverage both put Pakistan on 281 for five after 67.2 overs.
The home side will also take heart from the way Saud managed the closing overs in fading light. His unbeaten fifty kept the innings on track after Babar and Salman fell in the middle session.
Sri Lanka, by contrast, will rue the toss call. The green pitch promised early wickets, but the pace attack found little movement. With no frontline spinner in the side, the tourists now face a long spell in the field as Pakistan look to build on 281 for five.
The second and final Test of the series starts in Lahore on November 17. Pakistan will want to carry this momentum into that match, while Sri Lanka need early wickets on day two to stay in the contest.
For readers following the series, Feature Pakistan earlier previewed the contest in Babar Azam leads Pakistan into Sri Lanka Test series. The form of the debutants also recalls the recent milestone covered in Mushfiqur Rahim reaches 7,000 Test runs, while the build-up to the series raised questions examined in Hesson’s future as Pakistan Test coach and Aamer Jamal among three uncapped players in Pakistan Test squad.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pakistan’s score at stumps on day one?
Pakistan finished day one on 281 for five after 67.2 overs. Bad light stopped play 15 minutes before the scheduled close, with Saud Shakeel unbeaten on 57 and Ghazi Ghori on seven.
Who scored fifties for Pakistan on day one?
Four batters reached fifty: debutants Tayyab Arif (57) and Mohammad Taha (51), captain Babar Azam (50) and Saud Shakeel (57 not out). Tayyab and Taha were both playing their first Test.
Who won the toss in the Rawalpindi Test?
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first on a green pitch. The decision backfired, as Pakistan’s batters scored freely and the pitch offered little help to the fast bowlers.
How long has Babar Azam gone without a Test century?
Babar has now gone 41 Test innings without a century. His last Test hundred came against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022. He scored 50 in this innings before Madushanka dismissed him.
When and where is the second Test?
The second and final Test of the series starts in Lahore on November 17. Pakistan will look to carry their first-day advantage into that match.
