PAK vs SL, 1st Test: Shakeel, bad weather help Pakistan hold Sri Lanka to draw in Rawalpindi

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel’s resolute 97 ended any hope ​of a Sri Lankan victory. | Photo Credit: AP

Saqib Khan enjoyed a dream debut with seven wickets, ​but it was not enough to force ‌a result as the first ​Test between Pakistan and Sri ⁠Lanka petered out into a dull draw in Rawalpindi on Friday.

Put in to ‌bat, Pakistan declared its first innings on 434-9 after four ‌out of its top five ‌batters ⁠struck half-centuries.

Sri Lanka had appeared ⁠set for a hefty first-innings lead at 404-4, powered by Dhananjaya de Silva’s 167 ​and a century ‌from captain Kusal Mendis (119).

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But Saqib, 31, finished with 7-130, including five wickets in a superb eight-over spell, ‌and the visitors lost wickets ​in clumps to be bowled out for 446.

With significant time ⁠lost to rain and bad light in the match, including nearly two ‌sessions on Thursday, the Test ended in a draw with Pakistan on 284-8 in the final session.

The home side was wobbling at 125-5 in its second innings but ‌Saud Shakeel’s resolute 97 ended any hope ​of a Sri Lankan victory. The sides shook hands soon ⁠after his dismissal.

The second and final Test ⁠will also be played in Rawalpindi from Tuesday after the ‌match was moved out of Lahore due to worsening smog.