Rawalpindi Test: Pakistan declare; Sri Lanka trail by 320 runs
What's the story
Saud Shakeel and Ghazi Ghori propelled Pakistan past 400 in the 1st Test against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Resuming at 281/5 (67.2 overs) on Day 2, Shakeel and Ghori extended their overnight partnership to 96. Arafat Minhas then scored a late half-century, taking the hosts to 434/9d. While Babar Azam declared the innings, Sri Lanka were 114/3 (27.1 overs) at stumps.
Knock
A fine hand from Shakeel
Shakeel's compact defensive technique tested the patience of Sri Lankan seamers, mostly Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara.
Notably, Pakistan were well placed at 159/3 when the southpaw arrived to bat. He added 68 runs with Mohammad Taha (68) before taking the scorecard forward with Ghori.
Pakistan didn't let this affect their momentum after Ghori's departure, as debutant Arafat Minhas joined Shakeel and they added another 44 runs.
Fernando eventually ended Shakeel's stay in the second session of Day 2.
Numbers
Shakeel's 12th Test fifty
Shakeel scored 93 off 199 balls (9 fours).
With this effort, Shakeel has raced to 2,099 runs from 27 matches (51 innings) at an average of 43.72, as per Cricinfo. He slammed his 12th fifty (100s: 4).
Across four innings, Shakeel has amassed 388 runs at a jaw-dropping average of 129.33.
This includes three 50-plus scores, including a double-ton. 1,358 of his runs have come in home Tests at 52.23 (100s: 3, 50s: 9).
Score
Fiery display from Minhas
Pakistan were well placed at 349/6 on Day 2 when Minhas arrived to bat.
He took the innings forward with a 44-run stand with Shakeel before further dominating a 41-run partnership with Razaullah.
Minhas got to his fifty during the course before being dismissed. He slammed 9 fours and a six en route to his 72-ball 52.
Milestone
Minhas reaches this landmark
As per Cricinfo, Minhas became the seventh Pakistani player to slam 50 or more on Test debut while batting at eight or lower. He joined Azhar Mahmood, Faheem Ashraf, Razaullah, Rashid Khan, Tahir Naqqash, and Rashid Latif.
Rashid and Naqqash also accomplished this milestone versus Sri Lanka.
This was his fifth half-century in First-Class cricket, as he also owns a ton across 18 matches.
Bowling
Asitha Fernando reaches 100 Test wickets
Fernando was the pick of SL's bowlers, taking 3/107 in 26 overs. Dilshan Madushanka also took three wickets (3/108).
With his third, Fernando completed 100 wickets in Test cricket.
He joined Muthiah Muralidaran, Rangana Herath, Chaminda Vaas, Suranga Lakmal, Dilruwan Perera, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, and Lasith Malinga in the 100-wicket club.
Across 48 innings, Fernando owns 100 wickets at an average of 27.01.
Information
SL's turbulent start
SL later had a turbulent start, losing Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Dinesh Chandimal in successive overs. However, Lahiru Udara and Kamindu Mendis lifted the Lankans from 12/2. While the former also departed (42), Mendis (40*) and Dhananjaya de Silva (22*) guided SL to 114/3 before stumps.