Stumps Pakistan 281 for 5 (Shakeel 57*, Arif 57, Taha 51, Fernando 2-64) vs Sri Lanka
Pakistan followed a dominant first session in the first Test in Rawalpindi with a gritty couple of passages of play to retain bragging rights on day one. After debutant Tayyab Arif's 51-ball 57 got Pakistan off to a sizzling start alongside Azan Awais, the hosts settled into a more sedate pace through the last two sessions. Sri Lanka, struck back, refusing to let Pakistan's batters convert starts into big runs, dismissing three batters between 50 and 57. Pakistan, however, strung just enough partnerships together to go in having shaded the day, finishing the day at 281 with half the side still intact. That included Saud Shakeel, who Pakistan will bank on to kick on from the unbeaten 57 he finishes overnight on.
Sri Lanka won the toss on a bright sunny morning and opted to insert Pakistan in, Kusal Mendis's eyes lighting up at the green strip he wanted his bowlers to exploit. But the surface turned out to be much less lethal, and the Sri Lankan bowlers far less consistent, than Mendis might have hoped. Arif - one of four debutants in Pakistan's squad - showed no nerves as he went after the fast bowlers, especially punishing fuller lengths as Sri Lanka went searching for swing that was never quite there.
There were hints the wicket might have offered Sri Lanka more if they settled on the right length. Awais, in particular, was beaten a number of times just outside off, but Dilshan Madushanka and Asitha Fernando kept allowing Arif to release the pressure. He was happy to do so, particularly through the cover region, and unafraid of taking his chances against the odd short ball, with one flying over deep fine leg for six.
The pair struck a whopping 16 boundaries in the first half of the session, and it was on the stroke of drinks that Milan Rathnayaka finally broke through. He jagged one back into Awais from around the wicket that took the edge through to the keeper. The following over, Fernando drew Arif's outside edge, and suddenly Sri Lanka roared back into the session.
Pakistan can often see a pair of wickets turn into a cluster, but they spent the following hour shutting Sri Lanka out while refusing to hand over scoring momentum. Babar Azam got through the early stages of his innings with strokeplay confident enough to belie his recent lack of runs. Mohammad Taha was far more circumspect, but with Babar in free-flowing form, he was allowed to be.
Babar flew out of the blocks when the players emerged after lunch. Madushanka erred in line three times in the first over, and on each occasion, Babar found the offside boundary. The third one brought up another half-century for the Pakistan captain, and on a pitch that had begun flattening out, the scene looked to be set for a more substantial contribution.
Those hopes melted away in the following over, when Madushanka got both line and length bang on, seaming away from off stump. Babar drove at it with hard hands, failing to reckon with the sideways movement, which saw him tickle it through to the keeper. The growing crowd was disappointed into silence once more, and Sri Lanka sensed blood. It was down to the even-keeled Saud Shakeel to hold the fort alongside the young Taha.
The pair kept Sri Lanka's prowling attack at bay for the remainder of the session, but a lot of that good work came undone in the first half hour post-tea. Shortly after Taha had brought up his half-century, he finally lost his patience and heaved across the line to Sonal Dinusha, only to sky it straight up to Dhananjaya de Silva. Sri Lanka were given further encouragement as Salman Agha failed to contend with Fernando's extra bounce and carry, the ball scratching the shoulder of the bat through to Mendis.
With the floodlights coming on, Sri Lanka might once more have sensed blood. But Shakeel thwarted the visitors once more in the final, holding out until the light deteriorated enough for the umpires to call time and allow Pakistan to live to fight tomorrow.