Summary
- RAWALPINDI: Pakistan and Sri Lanka played out a draw in the opening Test of their two-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday, after Saud Shakeel narrowly missed a second century in the match.
- Chasing a competitive position in the final innings, Pakistan finished at 284-8, with Shakeel remaining the standout performer despite falling just three runs short of his hundred.
- Arafat Minhas then joined Shakeel and added 44 runs for the seventh wicket, scoring 16 off 29 deliveries with the help of three fours.
Chasing a competitive position in the final innings, Pakistan finished at 284-8, with Shakeel remaining the standout performer despite falling just three runs short of his hundred.
The left-handed batter scored 97 off 210 deliveries, striking seven boundaries before Lahiru Kumara bowled him while attempting an attacking shot down the ground. Shakeel had earlier scored 93 in Pakistan’s first innings, finishing the match with an impressive overall contribution.
Pakistan resumed the final day’s play at 57-1 but suffered an early setback as Kumara dismissed Azan Awais for 22 on the opening delivery of the day. Asitha Fernando followed up by removing Mohammad Taha for 24 in the next over.
Babar Azam and Shakeel subsequently rebuilt the innings through a 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket. However, Milan Rathnayake broke the stand by dismissing Babar for 34 before removing Salman Ali Agha, who managed 13.
Pakistan went into Lunch at 151-5, with Shakeel on 23 and Ghazi Ghori unbeaten on seven.
The pair resumed after the interval and put together a valuable 92-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Ghori contributed 35 from 69 balls, including three boundaries, before losing his wicket.
Arafat Minhas then joined Shakeel and added 44 runs for the seventh wicket, scoring 16 off 29 deliveries with the help of three fours. Their partnership pushed Pakistan past the 250-run mark before Dhananjaya de Silva dismissed Minhas.
Sri Lanka continued to make inroads through Rathnayake, who finished with three wickets, while Kumara and Fernando picked up two wickets each.
With Pakistan at 284-8 and little time remaining to force a result, both sides agreed to a draw, bringing the five-day opening Test to a close.
