Pakistan tighten grip on Rawalpindi Test despite Sri Lanka's late fightback

Pakistan kept a firm hold on the Rawalpindi Test, ending the second day with a healthy first-innings advantage after taking out Sri Lanka’s top three.

After debutant Saqib Khan's double strike, Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva combined for an unbeaten 49-run stand, but bad light struck again, bringing the game to an early end. Nearly 45 overs have been lost over the first two days.

With a string of fifties on the first day, Pakistan had taken control. Saud Shakeel and Ghazi Ghouri continued without incident at 281/5, taking advantage of Sri Lanka's loose, sometimes too short bowling.

Ghouri, on the cusp of his maiden Test fifty, was caught at gully to a sharp catch, breaking their 96-run stand. Arafat Minhas attempted to attack when he came out, but Kusal Mendis installed a short-leg fielder to counteract the short ball. On number 10, he held off a delivery from Lahiru Kumara, but the close-in fielder managed to avoid catching him. He retaliated with a four and a six off the next two balls.

Shakeel, on the other hand, continued steadily toward his century without attacking their bowling. He hit just two fours all morning, but had moved his way to 93, when Asitha Fernando struck. He gloved behind as he attempted a pull, becoming Fernando's 100th Test victim.

After scoring 400 runs, Minhas and Razuallah, who hit hard, looked for quick runs. Minhas scored his first Test fifty with nine fours and a six before Madhushanka snatched him for his third wicket. On 434/9, Babar Azam felt they had enough to declare. Pakistan had just over a session to have a crack at Sri Lanka’s batters.

Mohammad Abbas got the ball seaming into the right-handed pair of openers by starting with three slips and a no-ball. The first ball, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, was squared up by a cracker that snuck away late. Saqib Khan found Dinesh Chandimal's outside edge in the very next over, bringing them down to 12/2. They were put through a series of tests by Pakistan, but they made it to Tea without further harm.

Lahiru Udara scored three fours off a Saqib over, the last of which led Kamindu Mendis and Lahiru Udara to a fifty-run partnership. He was caught in the same bowler's loose shot on 40, but Mohammad Taha dropped him in the gully. However, the debutante had the final say, putting one in front.

Mendis and de Silva helped Mendis get through the next phase, putting any loose deliveries away as the light went out and the action went on under lights. Both batters survived a close call each: Dhananjaya almost chopped on and Mendis escaped a run-out chance. Importantly, they were still together when they arrived at Stumps, providing Sri Lanka with some stability on a day that was largely dominated by the hosts.