Pakistan’s bold Test squad overhaul is already paying rich dividends, with three debutants scripting a rare piece of cricket history against Sri Lanka in the ongoing first Test in Rawalpindi. Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha and Arafat Minhas all scored half-centuries in Pakistan’s first innings, making it only the second time in Test cricket that three debutants have reached fifty in the same innings.The only previous instance came in Zimbabwe’s maiden Test against India in Harare in 1992, when Andy Flower (59), Grant Flower (82) and Dave Houghton (121) achieved the feat.Pakistan handed Test debuts to four players for the contest, and all made an impact over the opening two days. While the three batters impressed with the bat, fast bowler Saqib Khan made an immediate impression with the ball, claiming two wickets to help Pakistan seize control.Pakistan declared at 434/9 on Day 2, building a substantial first-innings lead after restricting Sri Lanka to 114/3 at stumps on Day 2.
Debutants power Pakistan past 400
Minhas scored 52 off 72 balls, including nine fours and a six. He shared a 44-run partnership with Saud Shakeel, who narrowly missed out on a century after making 93 off 193 deliveries.Tayyab (57 off 51) and Taha (51 off 105) also contributed half-centuries to Pakistan’s commanding total, underlining the impact of the new faces in the playing XI.Shakeel anchored the innings through partnerships with wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori, who made 48, and Minhas. The left-hander was dismissed in the first over after lunch, gloving a short delivery from Asitha Fernando behind the stumps. The wicket was Fernando’s 100th in Test cricket.Pakistan captain Babar Azam declared at 434/9 in the second session, with Razaullah contributing a quick 17 before falling to Lahiru Kumara.
Saqib strikes twice as Sri Lanka struggle
Saqib carried the momentum into Pakistan’s bowling innings, striking twice with the new ball. Along with experienced seamer Mohammad Abbas, he reduced Sri Lanka to 12/2, giving the hosts an early advantage.Abbas removed Pasindu Sooriyabandara for a duck, finding his outside edge, before Saqib dismissed Dinesh Chandimal with a delivery that angled across the batter and took the shoulder of his bat.Saqib later claimed the wicket of Lahiru Udara, who had scored an aggressive 42 off 47 balls with seven boundaries. Udara edged a loose drive to wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori after surviving an earlier reprieve.Sri Lanka recovered through an unbeaten 49-run partnership between Mendis and de Silva, but bad light brought an early close for the second successive day.With Pakistan’s debutants dominating both departments, the hosts are firmly placed to push for a result in the Test.
