Saud Shakeel falls for 97 as Rawalpindi Test ends in draw

RAWALPINDI: Saud Shakeel fell three runs short of a century for the second time in the match and Pakistan declared their second innings at 284-8, a lead of 272, as the first Test against Sri Lanka ended in a draw at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday.

Shakeel, who made 93 in Pakistan's first innings of 434-9, faced 210 balls and hit seven fours. Lahiru Kumara bowled him late on the fifth day, the Associated Press reported, and the players shook hands once the declaration came.

Pakistan resumed on 57-1 and lost both overnight batsmen without a run added. Kumara had Azan Awais, 22, caught at slip off the first ball of the day, and Asitha Fernando found Mohammad Taha's outside edge from the other end. Taha made 24.

Babar Azam made 34 off 48 balls with six fours and put on 50 with Shakeel for the fifth wicket. The Express Tribune reported that Milan Rathnayake dismissed him. The AP report described Babar falling into Kusal Mendis's fielding trap and giving a simple catch to Lahiru Udara, without naming the bowler. Babar's run without a Test century reached 42 innings, AP reported, and he was dropped at second slip by Kamindu Mendis on 22.

Agha Salman was caught by Pasindu Sooriyabandara for 13 off 19 balls. Arafat Minhas made 16, a detail carried by The Express Tribune. Shakeel shared a 92-run sixth-wicket stand with Ghazi Ghori, who made 35 off 69 balls before Rathnayake dismissed him.

Rathnayake finished with 3-47, Fernando 2-35 and Kumara 2-65, AP reported.

Sri Lanka made 446 in reply. Debutant fast bowler Saqib Khan took 7-130 and was named player of the match. Dhananjaya de Silva top-scored with 167 and Mendis made 119 in his first Test as captain, the two sharing a 249-run stand.

"Pakistan laid out a good wicket and there was moisture, (but) we did not bowl well initially and I feel that's where we need to learn," Mendis said.

Babar said: "We are trying to figure out why Saud is getting out in the nineties."

AP reported it was Pakistan's first draw in the current World Test Championship cycle, after seven defeats and two wins in its previous nine Tests. Bad light and rain took 117 overs out of the first four days, and a 20-minute stoppage for bad light interrupted the first session on Friday.

The second Test begins on 17 November at the same ground. The fixture was moved to Rawalpindi from Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore because of smog.