Shakeel's 93 carries Pakistan to 434 before Sri Lanka lose two early wickets in Rawalpindi

Saud Shakeel's 93 carried Pakistan to 434 for 9 before Sri Lanka lost two wickets inside the opening overs of their reply in Rawalpindi

Pakistan's first innings closed on 434 for 9 from 106.3 overs on the second day of the first Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, an innings built on five half-centuries and a top score of 93 from Saud Shakeel.

Sri Lanka, who had put Pakistan in after winning the toss, were 42 for 2 from 12 overs in response, trailing by 392 and needing another 192 to avoid the follow-on.

Muhammad Abbas removed opener Pasindu Sooriyabandara without scoring, and debutant Saqib Khan had Dinesh Chandimal caught at second slip to leave the tourists two down before their reply had taken shape.

Shakeel falls seven short

Shakeel resumed with Pakistan 281 for 5 and batted through much of the morning before Asitha Fernando dismissed him for 93 from 199 balls, an innings that included nine fours.

His sixth-wicket stand with Ghazi Ghori was worth 96 and carried Pakistan past 300, Ghori making 48 from 72 balls before Dilshan Madushanka broke the partnership.

Pakistan added 153 runs on the second day, having been held up on the first by bad light that ended play early with the innings only five wickets down.

The Pakistan Cricket Board marked the dismissal on its official account with the line "Saud Shakeel's fighting innings ends at 93!"

Three debutants pass fifty

Much of the total came from players new to Test cricket. Tayyab Arif made 57 from 51 balls with nine fours and a six, Mohammad Taha 51, and Arafat Minhas 52 from 72 balls on debut, also with nine fours and a six.

Captain Babar Azam contributed 50 from 58 balls before falling to Madushanka, the fifth of the innings' half-centuries.

Azan Awais made 30 at the top of the order, Salman Ali Agha 16 and Razaullah 10.

Between them, Tayyab, Taha and Minhas accounted for 160 of Pakistan's runs.

Sri Lanka's seamers share the load

Fernando finished with 3-107 and Madushanka with 3-108, the pick of a four-man pace attack that Sri Lanka chose to field without a frontline spinner.

Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake and Sonal Dinusha took a wicket apiece.

The decision to bowl first on a surface that looked green on the opening morning has brought Sri Lanka little so far, with the pitch offering the quicker bowlers less than it appeared to promise and bad light ending day one early.

Abbas and Saqib strike in the reply

Abbas made the first incision when Sooriyabandara departed without a run to his name, and Saqib followed by finding the edge of Chandimal's bat for a catch at second slip.

Chandimal's dismissal came early in a new Test career for Saqib, one of several Pakistan players handed a first cap in this match.

Sri Lanka had faced 12 overs by the time the figures stood at 42 for 2, a start that brought their middle order to the crease inside the first hour of the innings.

The follow-on stays in play

Pakistan hold a first-innings lead of 392 with eight Sri Lankan wickets still to take, and the follow-on remains available to them while the margin is more than 200.

Sri Lanka's batters have faced only 12 overs of it, leaving the bulk of the third day to decide whether the tourists bat once or twice.

Sri Lanka's four seamers got through 106.3 overs in the field, and a follow-on would send them back out with no rest beyond the change of innings.

Scorecard: Pakistan 434 for 9, 106.3 overs (Saud Shakeel 93, Tayyab Arif 57, Arafat Minhas 52, Mohammad Taha 51, Babar Azam 50; Asitha Fernando 3-107, Dilshan Madushanka 3-108); Sri Lanka 42 for 2, 12 overs