Pakistan debutant Saqib Khan took seven wickets for 130 runs as Sri Lanka lost its chance to establish a substantial first-innings lead on the fourth day of the Rawalpindi Test on November 12.
Sri Lanka began the day on 404 for four, only 30 runs behind Pakistan’s first-innings total of 434 for nine declared.
However, the visitors were dismissed with an advantage of just 12 runs.
Pakistan finished the fourth day 45 runs ahead with nine second-innings wickets remaining.
FIRST TEST — END OF DAY FOUR
Pakistan first innings: 434/9 declared
Sri Lanka first innings: 446 all out
Sri Lanka first-innings lead: 12 runs
Pakistan second innings: 57/1
Pakistan lead by 45 runs
Saqib removes both overnight centurions
Saqib struck in the opening over of the day to dismiss Dhananjaya de Silva for 167.
He then removed Kusal Mendis, who added two runs to his overnight score before departing for 119.
Both batters were caught behind.
The dismissals ended Sri Lanka’s 249-run fifth-wicket partnership, the country’s highest for that wicket against Pakistan in men’s Test cricket.
Sonal Dinusha contributed 20 before Pakistan completed the remaining dismissals.
Seven-wicket haul enters Pakistan’s debut records
Saqib finished with figures of seven for 130.
According to the International Cricket Council, these are the fourth-best innings figures by a Pakistan bowler on Test debut when ranked by runs conceded among seven-wicket performances.
Mohammad Zahid took seven for 66, Mohammad Nazir seven for 99 and Abrar Ahmed seven for 114 in their respective debut performances.
Saqib’s spell transformed the position of a match in which Sri Lanka had appeared capable of building a sizeable lead.
Sri Lanka add only 42 runs for final six wickets
Sri Lanka resumed on 404 for four and finished on 446.
The final six wickets therefore contributed 42 runs to the team total, including extras.
That calculation shows how sharply the innings ended after the long fifth-wicket partnership.
Pakistan’s first-innings total remained within reach until the final wickets fell, but Sri Lanka could establish only a narrow lead.
Pakistan move ahead before final day
Pakistan lost Tayyab Arif during its second innings but finished the day with a 45-run advantage.
The result remains undecided.
The ICC World Test Championship points at stake add significance to the final day’s play, with both teams seeking to improve their positions in the current cycle.
The reported scores represent the confirmed position at stumps on November 12.
