Where the Test stands
Pakistan declared on 434 for 9 in the first Test at Rawalpindi, with two debutants and Saud Shakeel (93) doing the heavy lifting. Sri Lanka hit back through Dhananjaya de Silva and reached 221 for 4 at lunch on day three, 213 behind. The real question now is whether Pakistan can force a result on this pitch before Friday.
Pakistan went into this series with a new-look squad and plenty of doubts. Shan Masood was left out, and Mohammad Rizwan was not picked despite a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy double century. Two days in, the new faces have answered the first question. The bowlers now face a tougher one.
How Pakistan got to 434
Pakistan were 277 for 5 at stumps on day one and declared on day two at 434 for 9 after 106.3 overs. Shakeel was the anchor. He batted 199 balls for 93 before falling at 393 for 7, just short of a hundred.
The interesting part was the support cast. Debutant Tayyab Arif hit 57 off 51 balls. Fellow debutant Mohammad Taha made a patient 51 off 105. Arafat Minhas added a quick 52 off 72, his maiden Test fifty, and captain Babar Azam made 50 off 58.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saud Shakeel | 93 | 199 | Top score |
| Tayyab Arif | 57 | 51 | Debut |
| Arafat Minhas | 52 | 72 | Maiden Test fifty |
| Mohammad Taha | 51 | 105 | Debut |
| Babar Azam (c) | 50 | 58 | |
| Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wk) | 48 | 72 |
For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka and Asitha Fernando took three wickets each.
Sri Lanka’s fightback
Sri Lanka started badly. Pasindu Sooriyabandara fell for a duck to Mohammad Abbas and Dinesh Chandimal went for 1, both inside the first four overs. They closed day two on 114 for 3.
Day three belonged to the visitors in the morning. Kamindu Mendis made 58 before Abbas removed him at 155 for 4, ending a 90-run stand. De Silva then kept going with captain Kusal Mendis. At lunch, De Silva was 87 not out and the unbroken stand was worth 66, according to the CricketNews.com live blog.
Abbas has been the standout bowler, with 2 for 33 from 17 overs, eight of them maidens. Saqib Khan also has two wickets but has gone for 82 runs in 20 overs.
The follow-on maths
With a 434 total, Sri Lanka need 235 to avoid the follow-on. At 221 for 4 they are only 14 short with six wickets left, so the follow-on is close to off the table. That leaves Pakistan needing quick wickets this afternoon and a fast second innings if they want to win before the close on Friday, November 13.
Our take
This is a good start for a rebuilt side, but it is only a start. Pakistan have won just two and lost seven Tests in this World Test Championship cycle, according to Wisden, so a draw here would not do much for them. The batting depth from the debutants is the real positive. The worry is the spin support for Abbas. If Saqib Khan keeps leaking four an over, Pakistan will struggle to bowl Sri Lanka out twice on a flat Rawalpindi pitch. Whatever happens here, the selectors now have a clear case to keep Arif and Taha for the second Test in Lahore.
FAQs
When is the second Test?
It starts on Tuesday, November 17 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with a 9:30am local start.
Why is Mohammad Rizwan not playing?
He was not picked in the squad. The selectors went for new names, including Ghazi Ghori and Saad Baig as wicketkeeping options.
Who is captaining the two sides?
Babar Azam leads Pakistan. Kusal Mendis leads Sri Lanka.
For more on the squad picture, read our Pakistan Test squad breakdown and our look at Pakistan’s road to World Cup 2027.
Sources
- CricketNews.com: PAK vs SL 1st Test live blog
- Islamabad Post: Sri Lanka resume first innings, day 3
- Pakistan Observer: Pakistan eye strong position
- Wisden: PAK vs SL Tests 2026, schedule and squads
About this story. Written by the T20 Cricinfo desk from the sources listed above. Scores are taken up to lunch on day three; play after that was not covered when this was published, and we could not open the official scorecard to cross-check every figure.
