PAK vs SL 1st Test Day 5: Saud Shakeel’s 97 Rescues Draw for Pakistan

RAWALPINDI: A monumental fourth-innings rearguard by vice-captain Saud Shakeel ensured the PAK vs SL 1st Test ended in a hard-fought draw. Facing intense pressure on PAK vs SL 1st Test day 5 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan batted through 84.5 overs to reach 284 for 8 in their second innings before both captains shook hands to close the contest.

Resuming on the day 4 score of 57/1, holding an overall lead of just 45 runs after conceding a slim 12-run first-innings deficit, Pakistan immediately found themselves under siege from Sri Lanka’s seam attack. Early breakthroughs removed overnight batters Azan Awais (22) and Mohammad Taha (24), sparking fears of a final-day collapse. 

Skipper Babar Azam briefly counterattacked, sharing a 50-run stand with Shakeel to guide the hosts past the 100-run mark. However, Sri Lanka struck back before the interval to reduce Pakistan to 151 for 5 at lunch, leaving the visitors with a genuine sniff of an improbable victory.

With the match hanging in the balance, Saud’s incredible innings became the defining pillar of Pakistan’s survival. Shakeel joined forces with wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori to halt Sri Lanka’s momentum. The pair added a vital 92-run partnership for the sixth wicket, absorbing pressure and rotating strike with clinical discipline. Reaching Saud Shakeel’s half-century off 126 deliveries, the left-hander shifted gears seamlessly from survival to control, frustrating Kusal Mendis’ bowling changes throughout the afternoon session.

Although Sri Lanka claimed Ghori and later saw Dhananjaya de Silva dismiss Arafat Minhas (16) on the stroke of tea at 261 for 7, Shakeel remained immovable at the crease. Moving into the nineties during the final session, he looked destined for a match-saving century, having already scored 93 in the first innings, before Lahiru Kumara finally breached his defenses to bowl him for a heroic 97 off 210 balls, an innings laced with seven boundaries.

Despite losing eight wickets, Shakeel’s five-hour vigil had drained enough time from the clock to put the match out of Sri Lanka’s reach. Pakistan’s tail held firm in the closing overs to secure the stalemate with a 272-run lead. Both teams will remain at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium for the second and final Test, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.