Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium under floodlights

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Day 1: Pakistan Reach 281-5 as Debutants Shine in Rawalpindi

November 9, 2026 Faizan Altaf

Pakistan made a strong start to the first Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 281 for five at the close of play on day one at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, 9 November 2026. Four batters scored half-centuries, including two players on their Test debut, as the home side took control after Sri Lanka chose to bowl first on a green-looking pitch.

Captain Babar Azam led from the front with a fluent 50, while debutant opener Tayyab Arif scored 57 and fellow debutant Mohammad Taha made 51. Saud Shakeel finished the day unbeaten on 57, with wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori on seven not out when bad light stopped play 15 minutes before the scheduled close.

It was an encouraging day for a new-look Pakistan side that handed Test debuts to four players. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will feel they let a good chance slip away after winning the toss and backing their fast bowlers on a surface that looked helpful for seam bowling in the morning.

A bright start on a green pitch

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl first. It looked like a sensible call. The Rawalpindi pitch had a covering of grass, the sky was overcast early on, and Sri Lanka had picked a pace-heavy attack with three frontline fast bowlers — Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka — plus seam-bowling all-rounder Milan Rathnayake.

But Pakistan’s openers had other ideas. Azan Awais and Tayyab Arif attacked from the start, and Pakistan raced to 50 in just 8.5 overs. The pair added 86 runs for the first wicket in only 16 overs, and Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to find the right length on a pitch that, in the end, offered far less help than it promised.

Awais, who scored 30 from 50 balls with seven fours, was the first to go, caught behind by Mendis off Rathnayake. Four runs later, Arif followed him back to the pavilion, edging Fernando to Mendis to make it 90 for two. Sri Lanka had finally broken through — but Pakistan had already scored quickly and set the tone for the day.

By lunch, Pakistan were 137 for two after 30 overs, a healthy position built on positive batting rather than careful survival.

Four half-centuries, but no big hundred

The story of the day was one of good starts that nobody turned into a big score. Four Pakistan batters reached fifty, but none of them went on to make a hundred.

Babar Azam looked in excellent touch after lunch. He struck seven fours in a 58-ball fifty and seemed set for a big innings. But he fell to Madushanka, caught behind by Mendis, for 50. It was another frustrating near-miss for the Pakistan captain, who has now gone 41 innings without a Test century. His last Test hundred came against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022.

Mohammad Taha, the other debutant half-centurion, played a far more patient innings. He took 105 balls for his 51, hitting six fours, and helped steady Pakistan after Babar’s dismissal. Taha was eventually caught by Dhananjaya de Silva off part-time spinner Sonal Dinusha, leaving Pakistan on 227 for four.

Salman Agha made a quick 16 from 22 balls before he became Mendis’s fourth catch of the innings, edging Fernando to the wicketkeeper. That left Pakistan on 253 for five, and Sri Lanka had fought their way back into the contest.

Saud Shakeel, however, held the innings together. The left-hander batted with great patience, facing 112 balls for his unbeaten 57, and made sure Pakistan did not lose any more wickets before the close. Ghazi Ghori, unbeaten on seven from 10 balls, gave him solid support in the final overs.

The fall of wickets told the story of the day: 86 for one, 90 for two, 159 for three, 227 for four, and 253 for five. Pakistan scored 137 runs in the morning session, 71 in the afternoon, and 73 in the evening before bad light ended play with 67.2 overs bowled.

Debutants steal the show in Rawalpindi

The most exciting part of the day for Pakistan fans was the performance of the new faces. Pakistan handed Test debuts to four players in this match: Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha, Arafat Minhas and Saqib Khan. Two of them scored half-centuries on the very first day.

Arif, who is just 20 years old and playing his maiden first-class season, played with remarkable confidence. His 57 came from only 51 balls and included nine fours and a six. He attacked the new ball, drove crisply through the off side, and showed no nerves at all on his debut.

Speaking after the day’s play, Arif said he was delighted with his start. “We have played good and positive cricket considering the conditions,” he said. “I have played a lot with some of these players so I was supported well and I am happy on scoring a half century.”

Taha’s innings was very different but just as valuable. Where Arif attacked, Taha defended and waited, facing more than a hundred balls for his fifty. It was the kind of patient knock that Test cricket demands, and it showed that Pakistan’s new generation can play both ways.

The other two debutants, all-rounder Arafat Minhas and fast bowler Saqib Khan, did not bat on day one. Their chance will come as the match goes on, and both will be keen to make their mark in a side that is clearly being rebuilt with young talent.

Sri Lanka’s gamble that did not pay off

For Sri Lanka, the day was a disappointment. They won the toss, chose to bowl, picked four seam bowlers — and still ended the day with Pakistan well placed at 281 for five.

The decision to go without a frontline spinner could prove costly as the match goes on. Sri Lanka used spin for just four overs all day, with Dhananjaya de Silva bowling one over and Sonal Dinusha three. Dinusha did take the wicket of Taha, but the visitors’ attack was built almost entirely around pace, and the pitch did not offer the fast bowlers as much help as they had hoped.

Asitha Fernando was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with two wickets for 64 runs from 15.2 overs. Rathnayake was the most economical, taking one for 43 from 16 overs, while Madushanka took one for 87 and Kumara went wicketless for 70 runs.

Sri Lanka’s bowling coach, Ryan van Niekerk, admitted his side should have done better. “Probably not satisfied as bowling first and with the seamers we have we should have taken a couple of more wickets,” he said. “But bowlers pulling it back in the last session was good.”

That late fightback was real. Sri Lanka took two wickets in the evening session and kept Pakistan’s scoring rate down. But they will know that letting Pakistan reach 281 for five, after winning the toss on a green pitch, was a missed opportunity.

What happens on day two?

Day two promises to be just as important. Saud Shakeel, unbeaten on 57, will look to turn his half-century into a big hundred, while Ghazi Ghori will want to build on his unbeaten seven. If Pakistan can push past 350 or 400, they will be in a very strong position.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, need early wickets on the second morning. The longer Pakistan bat, the harder the match becomes for the visitors, especially with no frontline spinner to control the game as the pitch wears down.

The second and final Test of the series will be played in Lahore from 17 November, so both teams will want to take momentum from Rawalpindi into that match.

For Pakistan, day one delivered almost everything they could have asked for: runs from the captain, half-centuries from two debutants, and a solid total on the board. For Sri Lanka, it was a reminder that winning the toss is only half the job — you still have to take the wickets.

Why this series matters

This two-Test series is an important one for Pakistan. The team is in transition, with four debutants in the side and a new-look batting line-up built around Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel. A home series win would be a big boost for a young team finding its feet in Test cricket.

For Sri Lanka, the series is a chance to test themselves away from home against a side that is rebuilding. Their pace attack is their strength, and they will feel they have the bowlers to trouble Pakistan — but only if they use the conditions better than they did on day one.

Test cricket is played over five days, and one day does not decide a match. But Pakistan have taken the first step, and they did it with the bat — and with the youngest players in the side leading the way.

Frequently asked questions

What was the score at stumps on day one?

Pakistan finished day one on 281 for five after 67.2 overs. Saud Shakeel was unbeaten on 57 and Ghazi Ghori was not out on seven. Bad light stopped play 15 minutes before the scheduled close.

Who won the toss in the first Test?

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first, backing their pace attack on a green-looking Rawalpindi pitch.

Which Pakistan players made their Test debut?

Four players made their Test debut: Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha, Arafat Minhas and Saqib Khan. Arif scored 57 and Taha made 51 on day one.

How did Babar Azam do on day one?

Babar Azam scored 50 from 58 balls with seven fours before he was caught behind off Dilshan Madushanka. He has now gone 41 innings without a Test century, with his last hundred coming against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022.

Who was Sri Lanka’s best bowler on day one?

Asitha Fernando was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets for 64 runs. Milan Rathnayake took one for 43, Dilshan Madushanka took one for 87, and Sonal Dinusha took one for 10.

When and where is the second Test?

The second and final Test of the series will be played in Lahore from 17 November 2026.

Conclusion

Day one of the first Test in Rawalpindi belonged to Pakistan — and to its debutants. Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha announced themselves on the Test stage with half-centuries, Babar Azam scored a fluent fifty, and Saud Shakeel’s unbeaten 57 made sure the good work was not wasted.

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl, but their pace-heavy attack could not make the most of a green pitch, and they will need early wickets on day two to stay in the match.

For Pakistan, the day was a glimpse of the future: young players, positive cricket, and a team that looks ready to build something new. If day two goes as well as day one, the home side will be in a commanding position in this series.

Sources

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

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