Pakistan seized firm control of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, declaring at 434-9 before their bowlers reduced the visitors to a precarious 114-3 by stumps on day two.
The hosts’ dominance was built on a gutsy 93 from left-hander Saud Shakeel, who agonizingly fell seven runs short of what would have been his fifth Test century. His dismissal, caught behind off Asitha Fernando after facing 199 deliveries, visibly hurt the middle-order batsman who had anchored Pakistan’s innings with nine boundaries.
“It really hurts when you get out without achieving a milestone,” Shakeel admitted after play. “The ball was a bit faster off the pitch and I responded too slow.”
Shakeel’s knock was part of a collective batting effort that saw five Pakistani batsmen reach half-centuries. Wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori contributed a vital 48 in a 96-run sixth-wicket partnership with Shakeel, while debutant Arafat Minhas announced his arrival in Test cricket with an aggressive 52 off 72 balls, smashing nine fours and a six.
The 20-year-old Minhas, fresh from impressive performances in the recent ODI tri-series, demonstrated his all-round credentials by showcasing solid batting skills in the longest format.
Pakistan resumed the day at 281-5 and added 153 runs before declaring after 106.3 overs. For Sri Lanka, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka shared the bowling honors with three wickets apiece, though both proved expensive on a pitch that offered little assistance.
Sri Lanka’s response began disastrously. Veteran pacer Mohammad Abbas removed Pasindu Sooriyabandara for a duck in the third over, and the visitors quickly slumped to 12-2 when 31-year-old debutant Saqib Khan dismissed Dinesh Chandimal in the next over.
The Karachi-born Saqib enjoyed a memorable debut, finishing with figures of 2-54 from 10.1 overs. His second wicket broke a crucial 53-run partnership between skipper Kamindu Mendis and opener Lahiru Udara, who had threatened to stabilize the innings with a counter-attacking 42 off 52 balls.
Bad light forced an early end to proceedings with Sri Lanka on 114-3, still trailing by 320 runs. Captain Mendis remained unbeaten on 40, while Dhananjaya de Silva was 22 not out as the pair added an unbroken 49 runs for the fourth wicket.
The visitors face an uphill battle on day three with seven wickets remaining and a massive deficit to overcome. Pakistan, buoyed by their strong first-innings total and early bowling success, appear firmly in the driver’s seat as they seek to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
The second and final Test is scheduled for Lahore starting November 17, giving both teams little time to regroup after this opening encounter concludes.
