Saqib Khan took five wickets in the first session on Thursday to finish with 7 for 130 on Test debut, as Sri Lanka lost their last six for 42 and were all out for 446 in Rawalpindi, AFP reported in Dawn. Pakistan reached 57 for 1 in their second innings, 45 ahead, before bad light and rain ended day four early.
At the start of the day, Sri Lanka were 404 for 4 and hoping for a big lead. They got 12, and Pakistan go into the last day with nine wickets in hand.
Reading time: 3 minutes
Key points
- Debutant Saqib Khan took 7 for 130 as Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for 42 and were all out for 446, a first-innings lead of 12
- He is the fourth Pakistan bowler to take seven in an innings on Test debut, after Mohammad Zahid, Mohammad Nazir and Abrar Ahmed
- Pakistan closed day four on 57 for 1, 45 ahead, when bad light and rain stopped play; the second Test is also in Rawalpindi, from 17 November
Five for 25 in a morning
Saqib had 2 for 105 from 26 overs when De Silva and Kusal Mendis batted through day three. On Thursday he bowled eight more overs and took five for 25.
He began by removing Dhananjaya de Silva, caught behind by Ghazi Ghori without adding to his overnight 167. Mendis followed in the fifth over of the day for 119, with ten fours and four sixes. Their stand ended on 249, short of the 280 Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan put on against Bangladesh in 2005, Sri Lanka’s record for the fifth wicket.
Sonal Dinusha edged to slip for 20 to give Saqib his fifth, and he then removed Lahiru Kumara for a duck and Asitha Fernando for 4. He finished with 7 for 130 from 34 overs, five of them maidens, according to The Papare.
Only three Pakistan bowlers had taken seven in an innings on Test debut before him, AFP noted: Mohammad Zahid (7 for 66), Mohammad Nazir (7 for 99) and Abrar Ahmed (7 for 114).
Pakistan’s openers survive, mostly
Pakistan lost Tayyab Arif in the third over, lbw to Asitha Fernando for 11 off eight balls. Azan Awais (22 off 65 balls) and Mohammad Taha (24 off 55) then saw off the rest of the 21.2 overs that were possible before the weather closed in.
What happens next
Pakistan’s 434 for 9 declared and Sri Lanka’s 446 mean four days have produced 937 runs for 20 wickets. To force a result, Pakistan would have to bat quickly on Friday morning and then bowl Sri Lanka out on a pitch that has given up two scores over 400. A draw is the likeliest result, especially if more time is lost to the weather.
The second and final Test starts on 17 November at the same ground, after the PCB moved it from Lahore because of smog.
Market watch
- Rain and bad light took overs on Thursday. Any more lost time on Friday makes a draw more likely still.
- Saqib took seven of the ten Sri Lankan wickets; the rest of the attack shared three. He is the bowler to watch in top Pakistan wicket-taker markets for the second Test on the same ground.
- Pakistan’s lead is too small to declare on early, so the first session’s run rate is the thing to watch in session betting.
For more, see the latest match predictions and today’s fixtures in our match centre.
Top image: Photo: Acabashi / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This article provides information and analysis, not betting advice. All betting carries risk, and losses are more likely than guaranteed returns. Please make independent decisions and bet responsibly. 18+ only.
Macaela Becker
Macaela is an iGaming writer who covers sports betting, casino platforms, and industry news. She researches betting markets, odds, and bonuses to create clear, practical guides.
She focuses on helping you stay informed while making betting easier to understand.
