RAWALPINDI: Debutant fast bowler Saqib Khan produced a remarkable spell on the fourth morning of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, taking seven wickets to bring Pakistan back into the match.
Sri Lanka resumed on 404 for four, needing just 30 more runs to overtake Pakistan’s first-innings 434 for nine declared, with Dhananjaya de Silva and captain Kusal Mendis both past their centuries. But under overcast skies, Saqib struck in the very first over, removing de Silva for 167 without adding to his overnight score.
Six wickets for 42 runs
Saqib then dismissed Kusal Mendis for 119 and ran through the lower order, as Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for just 42 runs and were bowled out for 446 – a slender first-innings lead of 12 runs.
The young pacer finished with figures of 7 for 130, becoming only the fourth Pakistani bowler to take seven wickets in an innings on Test debut. Mohammad Abbas took two wickets and Razaullah one.
Earlier in the innings Saqib had removed Dinesh Chandimal for one and opener Lahiru Udara for 42. On Thursday he added the big wickets of the two centurions before claiming Sonal Dinusha (20), Lahiru Kumara (0) and Asitha Fernando (4). De Silva’s 167 came off 246 balls with 20 fours, while Kusal Mendis struck 10 fours and four sixes in more than five hours at the crease.
| Innings | Score |
|---|---|
| Pakistan, 1st innings | 434/9 declared |
| Sri Lanka, 1st innings | 446 all out (De Silva 167, Kusal Mendis 119; Saqib Khan 7-130) |
| Pakistan, 2nd innings (at lunch, day 4) | 39/1 – lead by 27 runs |
Pakistan back in the lead
Pakistan quickly wiped off the deficit in their second innings and went to lunch at 39 for one, a lead of 27, after losing opener Tayyab Arif for 11. Azan Awais and Mohammad Taha were the unbeaten batters at the break.
Earlier in the match, Saud Shakeel’s 93 had anchored Pakistan’s first innings. With rain forecast and one more day to play after today, the Test remains finely balanced, but Saqib’s debut spell has given the home side a real chance to push for a result.
For Pakistan, the emergence of a new fast bowler capable of running through a strong batting line-up on a flat Rawalpindi surface is one of the biggest positives of the series so far, and his seven-wicket haul places him in rare company among Pakistani debutants.
The five-day Test runs from November 9 to 13. Follow NEN Sports for updates.
Featured image: Photo: Neweditorpk / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
