Sri Lanka captain Mendis wins toss, sends a new-look Pakistan lineup in to bat in 1st cricket test
Pakistan finished the first day of the opening cricket test against Sri Lanka at 281-5, led by strong performances from debutants Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha. Sri Lanka struggled to contain the run rate despite taking key wickets late in the day.
Why it matters
The match represents a significant test for a new-look Pakistan lineup and highlights the competitive nature of international test cricket.
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Opening batter Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha made impressive debuts as new-look Pakistan drove to 281-5 on the opening day of the first cricket test against Sri Lanka on Monday.
Arif made an aggressive 57 off 51 balls and Taha showed lot of grit at No. 3 to score 51 off 105 deliveries on a greenish wicket that lured Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis to bowl first after winning the toss.
Captain Babar Azam's flamboyant 50 off 58 balls that featured seven fours and Saud Shakeel's unbeaten 57 also gave Pakistan early advantage before bad light stopped play with only 67.2 overs possible on the first day of two-test series.
Sri Lanka recovered well after Pakistan's sizzling start of 137-2 in the 30-over first session and took three wickets as the four pacers bowled to more disciplined lines after being dominated by Arif's early aggression.
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