20-Year-Old Pakistan Star Tayyab Arif Achieves Big Record On Test Debut

Tayyab Arif scored a half-century on debut to take Pakistan to 137-2 at lunch on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Monday.  The 20-year-old made a brisk 57 and put on a solid 86-run opening stand with Azan Awais (30) after Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl on a green-top Pindi Stadium pitch. At the break, Pakistani skipper Babar Azam was 31 not out while another debutant, Mohammad Taha, was unbeaten on 15 in a confident start. Babar, who has not scored a century in 40 Test innings, survived some anxious moments before cracking four boundaries to consolidate the innings.

Arif, playing his maiden first class season, cracked nine boundaries and a six in his impressive 51-ball knock. He reached his fifty in just 46 balls, becoming the Pakistan batter with the fastest half-century on the first innings of his Test debut.

Sri Lanka, who entered the Test with four pacers and without a frontline spinner, had to wait until the 16th over for a breakthrough when Milan Rathnayaka had Awais caught behind by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.

It became 90-2 when Asitha Fernando found an edge off Arif's bat to Mendis, giving the visitors some consolation.

Allrounder Arafat Minhas and pacer Saqib Khan are also making Test debuts for Pakistan.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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