Pakistan Reach 214/3 at Tea in Opening Test Against Sri Lanka

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium – (Staff Reporter/Web Desk) – Pakistan made a steady start in the opening Test against Sri Lanka on Monday. At tea on day one, the home side were 214 for three at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Debutant Tayyab Arif gave the innings a bright start. He hit 57 off 50 balls, with one six and nine fours.

His opening partner Azan Awais added 30 runs before he was out. Soon after, Tayyab Arif also walked back to the pavilion.

Captain Babar Azam then made another fifty. However, he could not turn it into a big score.

At the break, Mohammad Taha was batting on 41. Saud Shakeel was with him on 27.

Toss and Team News

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl first. He said the pitch looked good for fast bowlers.

Sri Lanka also came without a frontline spinner, which is rare for them.

Pakistan named a new-look side with four debutants. They are Tayyab Arif, Taha, Arafat Minhas and Saqib Khan.

Babar Azam said the team must be careful in the first session. He also said he is ready to back the young players.

Background to the Series

This is a two-match series. It is Pakistan’s first since the 3-0 defeat in England.

Seven players were sent home after the second Test in that tour. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also sacked in September.

White-ball coach Mike Hesson now looks after the Test side. Only Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal came back from the seven players sent home.

Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were left out.

Babar Azam is also looking to end a long wait. He has gone 40 Test innings without a century. His last one came in Karachi in December 2022.

Pakistan are ninth and last in the World Test Championship table, while Sri Lanka are seventh. The second Test starts in Lahore on November 17.