Saud, Saqib highlight rain-marred Rawalpindi draw against Sri Lanka
By Nawaz Gohar ; The opening Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday after inclement weather, persistent rain, and bad light forced an early close on the fifth and final day.
Despite Pakistan declaring their second innings at 284 for eight to set up an overall lead of 272 runs, deteriorating light conditions prevented any further play, prompting the umpires to call off the match. Rain and overcast skies disrupted proceedings on all five days, ensuring that the stipulated quota of 90 overs could not be completed on a single day of the contest.
While neither side could force a decisive result, the match was defined by two standout individual performances for the hosts: middle-order batter Saud Shakeel’s twin dismissals in the nervous nineties—93 and 97—and debutant fast bowler Saqib Khan’s sensational seven-wicket haul.
Put in to bat after losing the toss, Pakistan posted a competitive first-innings total of 434 for nine declared. Saud Shakeel led the charge with a composed 93, receiving steady support from Tayyab Arif (57), Arafat Minhas (52), Mohammad Taha (51), and skipper Babar Azam (50), while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ghazi Ghori narrowly missed out on a half-century, falling for 48.
In reply, Sri Lanka rode on centuries from Dhananjaya de Silva (167) and captain Kusal Mendis (119) to reach 446, securing a slender 12-run first-innings lead. The pair rescued the visitors with a commanding 249-run partnership for the fifth wicket, further bolstered by Kamindu Mendis’s 58.
The standout performer with the ball for Pakistan was debutant pacer Saqib Khan, who tore through the Sri Lankan lineup to finish with figures of 7 for 130—becoming only the fourth Pakistani bowler in history to claim seven wickets in an innings on Test debut. Veteran seamer Mohammad Abbas picked up two wickets, while Razaullah claimed one.
Trailing by 12 runs, Pakistan suffered early setbacks in their second essay before Saud Shakeel once again anchored the innings with a marathon defensive knock. Facing 210 deliveries, Saud grinded out 97 runs before falling just three runs short of a deserved century, mirroring his first-innings heartbreak.
Contributions from Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (35), Babar Azam (34), Mohammad Taha (24), and Azan Awais (22)—alongside brief outings from Arafat Minhas (16), Salman Ali Agha (13), and Tayyab Arif (11)—helped Pakistan reach 284 for eight in 84.5 overs before the declaration was made.
With the series locked at 0-0, both teams will now turn their attention to the second and final Test, scheduled to commence at the same venue on November 17.
Following the Rawalpindi stalemate, Pakistan remain rooted to the bottom (ninth) of the ICC World Test Championship 2026–2027 standings, having registered two wins, seven defeats, and one draw in 10 matches for 11 points and a points percentage (PCT) of 7.50.
New Zealand continue to lead the table with 52 points (72.22 PCT) from six matches, closely followed by defending champions South Africa in second place with 60 points (71.43 PCT) from seven outings.
