Debutant Arif hits half-century as Pakistan reach 137-2 at lunch
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 two matches are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, in which Pakistan currently occupy the bottom position, while Sri Lanka are seventh.
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.
Azam, 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.
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.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) added pace-bowling all-rounder Aamir Jamal and three uncapped players to the Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, taking the strength of the team to 16.
Batter Mohammad Tayyab Arif, fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan earned their maiden call-ups following impressive performances in domestic cricket and the PCB Patron’s XI’s three-day practice match against Sri Lanka at the Islamabad Club from November 4 to 6.
The PCB also released Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal from the original 14-member squad.
Sri Lanka, led by Kusal Mendis, named a 15-member squad featuring experienced players Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva and Prabath Jayasuriya, while Pathum Nissanka is also in contention.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saqib Khan, Saud Shakeel
