Saud Shakeel falls short again as first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is drawn in Rawalpindi
Saud Shakeel was dismissed for 97, missing a century for the second successive time, as the first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka finished as a draw in Rawalpindi on November 13, 2026; he was bowled by Lahiru Kumara after facing 210 balls late on the fifth day and Pakistan closed on 284-8, a lead of 272.
The result was Pakistan's first drawn game in its current World Test Championship cycle; before this match the side had lost seven and won two of its previous nine Tests. Shakeel had earlier scored 93 in Pakistan's first innings of 434-9 declared and occupied the crease for almost the entire final day to frustrate Sri Lanka's pursuit of a win.
Sri Lanka's pace attack struck early on the final day, reducing Pakistan to 125-5 in the first session under overcast conditions, but Shakeel displayed patience and combined with Ghazi Ghori for a 92-run partnership that proved match-saving; Ghori made 35. Milan Rathnayake finished with 3-47 for Sri Lanka, while Asitha Fernando took 2-35 and Lahiru Kumara claimed 2-65, each bowler contributing to Sri Lanka's late charge.
Pakistan's top order had been unsettled in the morning session by a field setting employed by Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis, a period that was interrupted by a 20-minute stoppage for bad light. Babar Azam made 34 and Salman Ali Agha 13 before both fell into that fielding plan, offering catches at short backward square leg on a second successive overcast morning at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Earlier in the match, Pakistan had trimmed Sri Lanka's first-innings advantage to 12 runs, aided by fast bowler Saqib Khan's seven-wicket haul on debut. At lunch on the final day Pakistan led by 139, a position that still left the hosts vulnerable before Shakeel's resistance.
During his innings Shakeel overturned an lbw decision against him and absorbed a blow to the shoulder from a short ball by Dilshan Madushanka, while Sri Lankan seamers found considerable movement in the conditions. Pakistan resumed the final day on 57-1 but lost both overnight batters—Azan Awais and Mohammad Taha—without adding to their overnight scores of 22 and 24 respectively; Awais was caught at the slips off Kumara's first ball and Taha edged Fernando to the other end.
Babar and Shakeel added 50 runs together, with Babar striking six boundaries through cover and straight, but Babar again failed to convert a start into a century, extending his Test century drought to 42 innings; he survived two chances, including a grassed regulation chance by Kamindu Mendis at second slip when Babar was on 22, before being caught by Lahiru Udara. Rathnayake's short-ball plan accounted for Salman Ali Agha and Pasindu Sooriyabandara took a spectacular catch during the passage of play that preceded the Shakeel–Ghori stand.
The second Test will be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from next Tuesday after the fixture was relocated from Lahore because of increased smog levels there.
