Saqib Khan takes 7 on Test debut as Pakistan fight back vs Sri Lanka
Debutant Saqib Khan took 7-130 as Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 42 on day 4 in Rawalpindi. Pakistan closed on 57-1, leading by 45 going into the last day.
Saqib Khan picked the right morning to arrive. On day 4 of the first Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday, 12 November, the debutant took 7-130 as Sri Lanka, who resumed on 404-4 and looked set for a big lead, were bowled out for 446. Overnight we reported Sri Lanka 30 behind with six wickets in hand; they finished only 12 ahead.
How did Saqib Khan turn the Test?
Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for 42 runs in about an hour and a half, AP reported. Saqib used the overcast sky and swung the ball, and his first wicket was the big one: Dhananjaya de Silva, caught behind without adding to his overnight 167. Kusal Mendis, who had reached his hundred on day 3, also fell early, ESPNcricinfo’s report said, and the tail did not last long after that.
The figures are not cheap, 130 runs conceded, but after Sri Lanka had piled up 400 on a flat Pindi surface, seven wickets on debut is a big return for any bowler.
Who else has taken seven on Test debut for Pakistan?
According to AFP, Saqib is only the fourth Pakistani to take seven wickets in an innings on Test debut. The others are fast bowler Mohammad Zahid (7-66), off-spinner Mohammad Nazir (7-99) and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (7-114).
Where does the match stand?
Pakistan lost opener Tayyab Arif for 11 before lunch, then Azan Awais and Mohammad Taha batted out the rest of the day. At stumps Pakistan were 57-1, with Awais on 22 and Taha on 24, a lead of 45, according to the live scorecard.
With one day left and both first innings over 430, a result needs something unusual on Friday: a quick Pakistan declaration and another collapse. A draw is the most likely finish, but Saqib’s spell has changed the mood. Sri Lanka needed a lead of 100-plus to push for a win and got 12.
What to watch on day 5
How fast Pakistan bat in the first session. If they add quick runs and declare around lunch with a lead near 200, Sri Lanka would face roughly 50 overs on a fifth-day pitch, and Saqib would get another chance at a batting side that has already folded once in this match. The second Test has been moved from Lahore to Rawalpindi because of smog.
