Saqib Khan Takes Seven Wickets on Debut to Shift Test Match

Pakistan fast bowler Saqib Khan claimed seven wickets on his debut to bowl Sri Lanka out for 446 on the fourth day of the first cricket Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

The 31-year-old pacer finished with figures of 7/130 as Sri Lanka lost their final six wickets for 42 runs, giving the visitors a 12-run lead after resuming at 404/4.

Pakistan ended the rain-curtailed day at 57/1 in their second innings, establishing a 45-run lead with nine wickets in hand heading into the final day of the match.

"My strength is to bowl out-swingers and I did exactly that today under favorable overcast conditions," said Saqib Khan, a Pakistan fast bowler making his Test debut.

Khan produced an eight-over spell that yielded five wickets for 25 runs, starting by dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva for 167 to break a 249-run fifth-wicket partnership.

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis departed soon after for 119 when wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori took a diving catch off Khan, who then removed Sonal Dinusha for 20.

Milan Rathnayake pushed Sri Lanka past Pakistan's first-innings score of 434-9 declared before fast bowler Razaullah ended the innings by catching Rathnayake off a pull shot.

In Pakistan's second innings, Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando trapped debutant Tayyab Arif in front for 11, according to Times of India.

Azan Awais remained unbeaten on 22 after Kusal Mendis dropped him on 17 behind the stumps, while Mohammad Taha was 24 not out when rain stopped play at 3:05 pm.

On the third day, De Silva and Kusal Mendis had built Sri Lanka's highest fifth-wicket Test stand against Pakistan, breaking the previous record of 207 set in 2009, Yahoo Sports reported.

"We need to get a good first-innings lead," said Kamindu Mendis, Sri Lanka's No. 4 batter, after scoring 58 on the third day.

Pakistan fielded four debutants in the match, leaving fast bowler Mohammad Abbas as the most experienced seamer in the attack, according to The Hindu.

"I would like to give credit to both batters, they played really well," said Mohammad Abbas, the Pakistan fast bowler.

With nine wickets in hand, Pakistan will attempt to build their second-innings lead on the fifth and final day.