Saud Shakeel helps Pakistan draw first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi

Pakistan and Sri Lanka drew the first Test on the fifth and final day in Rawalpindi on Friday, with Saud Shakeel leading the home side’s resistance as bad weather helped Pakistan hold out for a draw.

Sri Lanka had sniffed victory with four wickets in the first session, with Pakistan 151-5 at lunch and a lead of 139. But Shakeel saved the home team with a fighting 97 as Pakistan finished on 284-8.

Shakeel, who scored 93 in the first innings, missed on another hundred when he was bowled by Lahiru Kumara before teams shook hands to end the Test. Shakeel’s 210-ball knock had seven boundaries.

First innings

Pakistan were put in to bat and declared their first innings on 434-9 after four out of its top five batters struck half-centuries.

Sri Lanka had appeared set for a hefty first-innings lead at 404-4, powered by Dhananjaya de Silva’s 167 and a century from captain Kusal Mendis (119).

But Saqib Khan, 31, finished with 7-130, including five wickets in a superb eight-over spell, and the visitors lost wickets in clumps to be bowled out for 446. Saqib Khan, one of four debutants for Pakistan, grabbed 7-130.

Milan Rathnayaka was the best bowler with 3-47 while Asitha Fernando had figures of 2-35 and Kumara 2-65.

Second innings

In the morning, Babar Azam’s century drought continued as he fell to a leg-side trap, handing the short square-leg fielder a simple catch off fast bowler Rathnayaka for 34. Salman Agha fell in the same manner off Rathnayaka for 13, leaving Pakistan struggling on 125-5.

Earlier, Sri Lanka struck with the first ball of the day when Kumara dismissed Azan Awais. Pakistan were helped by a brief 20-minute bad light break ahead of lunch before Shakeel and Ghazi Ghori kept Sri Lankan bowlers at bay during a 92-run sixth wicket stand.

Weather and context

The Test was marred by bad light in the last sessions on each of the first four days and 117 overs from a stipulated 360 were lost, leaving the result tough to achieve.

With significant time lost to rain and bad light in the match, including nearly two sessions on Thursday, the Test ended in a draw with Pakistan on 284-8 in the final session. The draw leaves the World Test Championship race tight.

What happens next

Both teams will now look for a result in the second and final Test, starting at the same venue from Tuesday. The second and final Test will also be played in Rawalpindi from Tuesday after the match was moved out of Lahore due to worsening smog.

First Test scorecard summary

Related on Apex Sports News

• Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test moved to Rawalpindi due to smog

• Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test: Pakistan reach 281/5 on day one

• Saqib Khan takes seven-wicket haul on Pakistan debut against Sri Lanka

Sources

• NDTV Sports

• Sportstar