Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Day 1: Pakistan 281 for 5 at Stumps in Rawalpindi
Pakistan were 281 for 5 at stumps on day one in Rawalpindi. Debutants Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha made fifties, Babar 50 and Saud Shakeel 57 not out.
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Pakistan were 281 for 5 in 67.2 overs at stumps on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Monday 9 November 2026. Bad light stopped play at 4:19 pm Pakistan time and the umpires called stumps at 4:31 pm. Saud Shakeel is 57 not out and Ghazi Ghori is 7 not out.
Three Pakistan batters made fifties: the two debutants, Tayyab Arif (57) and Mohammad Taha (51), and captain Babar Azam (50). None of them went on to a hundred. We read the full scorecard on the International Cricket Council (ICC) match centre at 5:14 pm, after stumps had been called.
Pakistan finished day one on 281 for 5
Pakistan batted all day after Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field. They scored at 4.17 runs an over. A full Test day is 90 overs, so 22.4 overs were lost to the light. Day two starts at 9:30 am Pakistan time on Tuesday 10 November.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Score at stumps | Pakistan 281 for 5 |
| Overs | 67.2 |
| Run rate | 4.17 an over |
| Not out | Saud Shakeel 57 (112 balls), Ghazi Ghori 7 (10 balls) |
| Extras | 13 (6 byes, 1 leg bye, 4 no balls, 2 wides) |
| Play stopped | Bad light, 4:19 pm PKT; stumps 4:31 pm PKT |
| Day two start | 9:30 am PKT, Tuesday 10 November |
The ICC commentary said the light was always going to be a worry in the third session at this time of year in Rawalpindi, and that the first session had been made longer to use the daylight. The toss and the full Pakistan XI are in our 1st Test playing XI and toss report.
Three fifties, including two on debut
Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha both made a fifty in their first Test innings. Tayyab was the quickest scorer of the day. Babar Azam made his fifty at number four. This is the Pakistan batting card at stumps, from the ICC scorecard:
| Batter | How out | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azan Awais | c Kusal Mendis b Rathnayaka | 30 | 50 | 7 | 0 |
| Tayyab Arif | c Kusal Mendis b Asitha Fernando | 57 | 51 | 9 | 1 |
| Mohammad Taha | c de Silva b Sonal Dinusha | 51 | 105 | 6 | 0 |
| Babar Azam (captain) | c Kusal Mendis b Madushanka | 50 | 58 | 7 | 0 |
| Saud Shakeel | not out | 57 | 112 | 7 | 0 |
| Salman Agha | c Kusal Mendis b Asitha Fernando | 16 | 22 | 2 | 0 |
| Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper) | not out | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Arafat Minhas, Razaullah, Mohammad Abbas and Saqib Khan are still to bat. Tayyab came into the squad with 727 first-class runs at an average of 66.09, the ICC said on 7 November. The squad changes are on our Pakistan Test squad update page.
How the five wickets fell
Pakistan lost two wickets in four runs in the morning, then built two long stands. The ICC fall of wickets shows the order:
- 86 for 1 in the 16th over: Azan Awais, caught by Kusal Mendis off Milan Rathnayaka.
- 90 for 2 in 16.4 overs: Tayyab Arif, caught by Mendis off Asitha Fernando.
- 159 for 3 in 34.5 overs: Babar Azam, caught by Mendis off Dilshan Madushanka.
- 227 for 4 in 55.1 overs: Mohammad Taha, caught by Dhananjaya de Silva off Sonal Dinusha.
- 253 for 5 in 63.2 overs: Salman Agha, caught by Mendis off Fernando.
Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka's captain, took four of the five catches. Babar and Taha added 69 for the third wicket, and Taha and Shakeel added 68 for the fourth. Shakeel and Ghori had put on 28 for the sixth wicket when the light went.
Asitha Fernando took 2 wickets for Sri Lanka
Six Sri Lankan bowlers were used. Asitha Fernando was the only one with two wickets. Milan Rathnayaka was the most economical, giving 43 runs in 16 overs. Lahiru Kumara bowled 16 overs without a wicket.
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asitha Fernando | 15.2 | 2 | 64 | 2 |
| Dilshan Madushanka | 16 | 1 | 87 | 1 |
| Lahiru Kumara | 16 | 1 | 70 | 0 |
| Milan Rathnayaka | 16 | 1 | 43 | 1 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sonal Dinusha | 3 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
Sri Lanka have not batted yet, so the ICC page does not show their full XI. Kusal Mendis leads them on this tour, as our page on Kusal Mendis as Sri Lanka Test captain records.
Day two starts at 9:30 am on Tuesday
Pakistan resume on 281 for 5 with Shakeel and Ghori at the crease and four bowlers to come. The Test is scheduled to run until Friday 13 November. The second Test is in Lahore from 17 November.
Because the light fades early in November, the start time matters. Our Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test start time page has the times for both Tests. To follow day two on television or online, see our 1st Test where to watch guide. The rules on bad light, follow-on and reviews for this series are on our ICC Test match rules page.
Both Tests count for the World Test Championship. Pakistan were ninth in the table before the series, as our WTC points table page shows.
Common questions
What was Pakistan's score at stumps on day one?
Pakistan were 281 for 5 in 67.2 overs at stumps on 9 November 2026 in Rawalpindi.
Why did day one end early?
Bad light. The umpires took the players off at 4:19 pm Pakistan time and called stumps at 4:31 pm, with 22.4 of the 90 overs not bowled.
Who is not out for Pakistan?
Saud Shakeel is 57 not out off 112 balls and Ghazi Ghori is 7 not out off 10 balls.
Who scored fifties for Pakistan on day one?
Tayyab Arif made 57 and Mohammad Taha made 51, both on Test debut. Babar Azam made 50 and Saud Shakeel is 57 not out.
Who took wickets for Sri Lanka?
Asitha Fernando took 2 for 64. Milan Rathnayaka, Dilshan Madushanka and Sonal Dinusha took one each.
What time does day two start?
Day two starts at 9:30 am Pakistan time on Tuesday 10 November 2026.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read the score, the batting and bowling cards, the fall of wickets and the time of the bad light stoppage on the ICC match centre at 5:14 pm PKT on 9 November 2026, after it showed "Stumps, Day 1". The ICC commentary gives the times in GMT; we have added five hours for Pakistan time. Partnerships are worked out by us from the fall of wickets. The PCB website refused our connection, so we could not read its own report.
About the author
Senior Writer, Public Services and Technology
Shahid joined us in 2024 as an author. He is a senior contributor to Pakistan's leading technology websites. He writes detailed articles, mostly covering his expertise in the latest tech, mobiles, apps, gadgets, and step-by-step guides. His ideology is to help people understand the latest trends and explain complex methods through very easy-to-understand guides.
