Debutant Saqib Khan took seven wickets as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 446 in their first innings on Day 4 of the first Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday, leaving Pakistan trailing by just 12 runs. The 26-year-old claimed all five wickets to fall on the day to cap a dream Test debut.

Sri Lanka resumed the day on 404 for 4, with Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis holding a commanding position after a towering fifth-wicket stand. But Saqib ran through the lower order after the second new ball, and Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for 42 runs to be dismissed for 446 in 117.2 overs.

De Silva top-scored with 167, while Mendis also passed a hundred, as the pair kept Pakistan’s bowlers at bay for much of the morning before the collapse.

01. Key takeaways

  • Sri Lanka 446 all out (117.2 overs) in reply to Pakistan’s 434 for 9 declared — a first-innings lead of 12 runs.
  • Debutant fast bowler Saqib Khan took seven wickets in the innings, including all five to fall on Day 4.
  • Dhananjaya de Silva made 167 and Kusal Mendis a century in a big fifth-wicket partnership.
  • Pakistan’s second innings follows, with the match heading for a result after rain and bad light had already cut play on the first three days.

02. Brief scores

Pakistan 434 for 9 declared (Saud Shakeel 93, Tayyab Arif 57; Asitha Fernando 3-107, Dilshan Madhushanka 3-108) vs Sri Lanka 446 (Dhananjaya de Silva 167; Saqib Khan 7 wickets). Sri Lanka lead by 12 runs.

03. What happens next

Pakistan will bat again with a 12-run deficit to wipe out, and with more rain forecast for the afternoon in Rawalpindi, time remains a factor in the push for a result. The second Test of the two-match series starts in Lahore on 17 November. Earlier, rain had threatened to wash out Day 4 — read our earlier report: Rain Threatens Day 4 of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test in Rawalpindi.

04. Frequently asked questions

Who is Saqib Khan?
A Pakistan fast bowler making his Test debut in Rawalpindi. He took seven wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings, including all five wickets to fall on Day 4.

What is the score in the Rawalpindi Test?
Pakistan made 434 for 9 declared in their first innings. Sri Lanka replied with 446 all out, taking a lead of 12 runs.

When is the second Test?
The second Test of the two-match series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka starts in Lahore on Tuesday, 17 November.