Sri Lanka resume first test at 114-3, trail Pakistan by 320 runs

The visitors had reached 114-3 in 27.1 overs at stumps on the second day after recovering from an early collapse, with Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva at the crease. Sri Lanka suffered an early setback when Mohammad Abbas dismissed opener Pasindu Sooriyabandara for a duck.

Debutant Saqib Khan then claimed his maiden international wicket by removing Dinesh Chandimal for one, leaving the visitors struggling at 12-2. Lahiru Udara and Kamindu Mendis steadied the innings with a partnership that took Sri Lanka past the 50-run mark.

However, Saqib struck again, dismissing Udara for 42 off 52 balls, including seven boundaries, to reduce the visitors to 65-3. Dhananjaya de Silva joined Mendis, and the pair added an unbeaten 50-run partnership to take Sri Lanka beyond 100.

Mendis was unbeaten on 40, while De Silva had scored 22 when bad light brought an early end to play. Earlier, Pakistan declared their first innings at 434-9 after 106.3 overs, with five batters, including three debutants, scoring half-centuries.

Resuming their innings on the second day, Saud Shakeel and Ghazi Ghori added 96 runs for the sixth wicket to take Pakistan beyond 300. Dilshan Madushanka broke the partnership by dismissing Ghori for 48 off 72 balls, leaving the hosts at 349-6.

Shakeel continued to anchor the innings with Arafat Minhas, who contributed to a 44-run stand for the seventh wicket. Asitha Fernando dismissed Shakeel for 93 off 199 deliveries, including nine boundaries, when Pakistan reached 393-7.

Minhas and Razaullah helped Pakistan cross the 400-run mark, with Minhas scoring his maiden Test half-century. He made 52 off 72 balls, including nine boundaries and a six, before falling to Madushanka. Lahiru Kumara then dismissed Razaullah for 10 before Pakistan captain Babar Azam declared the innings.

Madushanka and Fernando took three wickets each, while Kumara, Milan Rathnayake and Sonal Dinusha claimed one wicket apiece. On the opening day, Pakistan's innings was built around an 86-run partnership between openers Azan Awais and debutant Tayyab Arif.

Azan scored 30 off 50 balls, while Tayyab made 57 off 51 deliveries. Babar Azam and another debutant, Mohammad Taha, added 69 runs for the third wicket. Babar scored 50 off 58 balls before being dismissed by Madushanka, while Taha made 51 off 105 deliveries for his maiden Test half-century.

Sonal Dinusha removed Taha at 227-4, while Salman Ali Agha contributed 16 before falling to Fernando. Shakeel then strengthened Pakistan's position with his 12th Test half-century before finishing seven runs short of a century.