Saud falls short of ton again as Pakistan-SL Test ends in draw
RAWALPINDI: Saud Shakeel fell agonisingly short of a second century in the match as Pakistan and Sri Lanka settled for a draw in the first Test here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday, with persistent bad light and the loss of more than 100 overs during the five days leaving insufficient time for a result.
Chasing a first-innings deficit of 12, Pakistan reached 284-8 in their second innings to establish a lead of 272 before the teams shook hands with two wickets still intact, shortly after Saud was bowled for 97 by Lahiru Kumara.
The left-hander faced 210 balls and struck seven boundaries in a determined innings that followed his first-innings 93.
Sri Lanka had briefly threatened to turn the contest in their favour during a sharp morning session, taking four wickets to reduce Pakistan to 151-5 at lunch, with the lead standing at a vulnerable 139.
But Saud and wicket-keeper-batter Ghazi Ghori resisted with a sixth-wicket partnership of 92, taking the game away from the visitors and leaving them with little time to pursue a target.
The visitors had resumed the final day with Pakistan on 57-1 and struck with the first delivery. Lahiru Kumara found the edge of Azan Awais, who drove loosely outside off stump, and the opener departed for 22.
Five balls later, Mohammad Taha followed for 24, edging Asitha Fernando behind after being repeatedly tested in the channel outside off.
At 57-3, Pakistan were under pressure, and Sri Lanka tightened their lines in search of further breakthroughs.
Babar Azam joined Saud and initially countered with positive strokeplay, finding the boundary through the covers and down the ground. Saud, by contrast, concentrated on defence and left deliveries outside off stump with care as the seamers maintained pressure.
Babar was fortunate to survive on 22 when Kamindu Mendis dropped a chance at slip off Fernando. He also benefited from an lbw review against Milan Rathnayake, with the decision remaining umpire’s call.
The Pakistan captain went on to add 50 for the fourth wicket with Saud before Sri Lanka’s short-ball plan brought his dismissal.
The visitors’ persistence paid off when Rathnayake exploited the fielding position at short square leg. Babar flicked a delivery towards the fielder, who held a straightforward catch to dismiss him for 34 off 58 balls, including six fours. Pakistan slipped to 125-4.
Salman Ali Agha fell in similar fashion, again caught at short square leg, with Rathnayake again the architect, for 13, leaving the hosts at 125-5 and bringing Ghazi to the crease.
With the possibility of a collapse giving Sri Lanka a route back into the match, Saud and Ghori adopted a cautious approach, refusing to offer the bowlers further opportunities. Their 92-run stand for the sixth wicket absorbed valuable time and steadily pushed Pakistan’s lead beyond reach.
Ghazi contributed 35 before Rathnayake finally broke the partnership, using the short ball to induce an edge.
The wicket-keeper’s resistance had nevertheless helped shift the balance decisively towards a draw. Saud continued with Arafat Minhas and the lower order, keeping the scoreboard moving as the visitors’ hopes of forcing a result faded.
Saud’s dismissal, three runs short of a century, brought an end to the contest. Attempting to clear the boundary against Kumara as the light deteriorated, he played down the wrong line and lost his stumps.
Rathnayake finished with 3-47, while Fernando and Kumara claimed two wickets apiece.
It was the second time in the match that Saud had come close to a hundred. His 93 in the first innings had helped Pakistan post 434-9 declared, while his second-innings effort gave the hosts the stability they needed after Sri Lanka’s morning burst.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said he was satisfied with the team’s performance, particularly given the conditions and the fact that Pakistan had lost the toss.
“Both sides were desperate to win the toss, and to be able to bat under lights and in overcast conditions and still be ahead of the game at times was a really good effort,” he said.
Hesson praised the contributions of the newcomers, singling out Tayyab for his assured batting, Taha for absorbing pressure in both innings and Saqib Khan for his seven-wicket haul.
He also commended Ghazi’s wicket-keeping, noting that the young gloveman had taken six catches in addition to contributing with the bat.
Asked about Saud’s repeated failure to convert substantial scores into centuries, Hesson said the circumstances of each innings needed to be considered.
“Sometimes those are conditions-dependent. The 50 he got in the first innings was a high-quality 50 and, when the ball is seaming like that, sometimes it is going to have your number on it,” he said. “If someone has a problem in the 90s, I am quite happy with that. I would far prefer that than a problem in the 10s.”
He also defended Pakistan’s scoring rate, saying the batters had faced challenging conditions under lights and in overcast weather, when the ball was moving past the outside edge.
Pakistan’s declaration in the first innings, he added, demonstrated that the team had attempted to create enough time to take 20 wickets.
Hesson suggested that the use of the pink ball could be considered for future Tests in Pakistan during this time of year, when poor light regularly interrupts play.
He said such a change could not be introduced midway through a series because teams would need preparation and an adequate supply of pink balls.
Sri Lankan batter Dhananjaya de Silva said his side was satisfied with its recovery after conceding 434 in the first innings, although he felt the bowlers could have done more on a surface that offered some assistance.
“Giving 400 runs and coming back into the game was satisfying. The batters did their best,” he said.
De Silva also attributed the absence of a result to the weather, saying the lost overs had denied both sides sufficient time to force a finish.
He praised Saqib’s performance, describing seven wickets on debut as an impressive achievement and noting that the fast bowler had also bowled well during the practice match.
The teams now turn their attention to the second and final Test, which begins at the same venue on Nov 17, with both sides hoping for more favourable weather and a fuller contest.
SCOREBOARD
PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 434-9 decl (Saud Shakeel 93, Tayyab Arif 57, Arafat Minhas 52; A. Fernando 3-107, D. Madushanka 3-108)
SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 446 (D. de Silva 167, K. Mendis 119; Saqib Khan 7-130)
PAKISTAN (2nd Innings, overnight 57-1):
Azan Awais c K.D Mendis b Kumara 22
Tayyab Arif lbw b Fernando 11
Mohammad Taha c K. Mendis b Fernando 24
Babar Azam c Udara b Rathnayaka 34
Saud Shakeel b Kumara 97
Salman Ali Agha c Sooriyabandara b Rathnayaka 13
Ghazi Ghori c K. Mendis b Rathnayaka 35
Arafat Minhas c Dinusha b de Silva 16
Razaullah not out 6
EXTRAS (B-15, LB-4, NB-5, W-2) 26
TOTAL (for eight wickets, 84.5 overs) 284
DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Abbas, Saqib Khan
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-15 (Tayyab), 2-57 (Azan), 3-57 (Taha), 4-107 (Babar), 5-125 (Salman), 6-217 (Ghazi), 7-261 (Arafat), 8-284 (Saud)
BOWLING: Fernando 13-2-35-2 (2nb), Madushanka 17-3-68-0 (1w), Kumara 17.5-3-65-2 (1w), Rathnayaka 20-6-47-3 (2nb), Dinusha 8-1-25-0, de Silva 9-0-25-1 (1nb)
RESULT: Match drawn.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Saqib Khan
Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2026
