Saud Shakeel anchors Pakistan past a 250-run lead on the final day in Rawalpindi

Saud Shakeel has batted through the final day in Rawalpindi to carry Pakistan to a lead of 265 over Sri Lanka, with the first Test drifting beyond the reach of either side

Pakistan were 277 for 7 in their second innings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday, 83 overs into an innings that started on the fourth evening and has now outlasted any realistic chance of a result.

Sri Lanka struck twice inside the first two overs of the morning and again either side of the hour before lunch, but could not separate Shakeel from the middle, and the deficit they had carried into the day has grown into a lead of more than 250.

With a first-innings margin of just 12 runs between the sides and large parts of the week lost to rain and bad light, Pakistan's lead is the only part of the contest still moving.

Two wickets in two overs

Pakistan resumed on 57 for 1 and lost both overnight batters without a run added. Lahiru Kumara bowled Azan Awais for 22 with the first delivery of the day.

Two balls into the following over, Asitha Fernando removed Mohammad Taha for 24, and Pakistan's lead was back under 50 with the new day barely started.

Babar Azam and Shakeel then put on 50 for the fourth wicket before Milan Rathnayake dismissed Babar for 34 from 48 balls. Rathnayake struck again to remove Salman Ali Agha for 13.

At lunch Pakistan were 151 for 5 and led by 139, with Shakeel on 23 from 85 balls and the wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori on seven.

Shakeel holds the innings together

Shakeel was 81 not out from 187 balls when Pakistan reached 261 for 7, more than four hours after he came to the crease.

It is the second long innings of his match. He made 93 from 199 balls in the first innings, falling seven short of a hundred.

Rathnayake has been Sri Lanka's most effective bowler on the final day with 3-47 from 20 overs, five of them maidens. Fernando has 2-35 and Kumara 1-54.

Saqib Khan's seven on debut

Pakistan owe their position to Thursday, when the debutant Saqib Khan took 7-130 from 34 overs with five maidens.

Sri Lanka had resumed on 404 for 4 and looked set for a substantial lead. They lost their last six wickets for 42 runs and were bowled out for 446, 12 ahead.

The 31-year-old became the fourth bowler to take seven wickets in an innings on Test debut for Pakistan, after Mohammad Nazir, Mohammad Zahid and Abrar Ahmed.

Runs on both sides of the first innings

Pakistan's 434 for 9 was built on contributions rather than a single large score, with Shakeel's 93 supported by Tayyab Arif's 57 from 51 balls, Arafat Minhas's 52 from 72 and Mohammad Taha's 51 from 105.

Babar made 50 from 58 balls in that innings, one of five Pakistan batters to pass fifty without going on to a hundred.

Sri Lanka answered through Dhananjaya de Silva, who made 167 from 246 balls with 20 fours, and Kusal Mendis, whose 119 from 202 balls included 10 fours and four sixes. Kamindu Mendis added 58.

Weather leaves too little time

Rain and bad light have cost the match several sessions. Play on the fourth day was called off at 3.05pm local time, with Pakistan only 21.2 overs into their second innings.

That lost time, rather than anything either side has done with bat or ball, has decided the shape of the Test. Pakistan were still batting late on the fifth afternoon with no prospect of bowling Sri Lanka out in what remains.

The second and final Test of the series begins on 17 November.

Scorecard: Pakistan 434 for 9 and 277 for 7; Sri Lanka 446. Pakistan lead by 265 runs.