Pakistan are reaping the rewards of their major Test squad overhaul in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka. As many as four players made their debuts for Pakistan in the first Test in Rawalpindi, and all of them have impressed over the first two days of play. The trio of Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha and Arafat Minhas scored half-centuries, while fellow debutant Saqib Khan struck twice late on Day 2 to put Pakistan in a commanding position. The half-centuries from Tayyab, Taha and Minhas is only the second instance of three or more debutants scoring half-centuries in the same innings of a Test match.
The only other instance took place in 1992 when Zimbabwe's Andy Flower (59), Grant Flower (82) and Dave Houghton (121) reached the milestone against India in Harare in 1992.
Since that was Zimbabwe's first-ever Test, this makes Pakistan the first team in 149 years of Test cricket to have three debutants score half-centuries in the same innings while not playing in their debut Test match.
Meanwhile, Arif made an aggressive 57 off 51 balls and Taha showed lot of grit at No. 3 to score 51 off 105 deliveries on a greenish wicket.
Minhas added further impetus to Pakistan's innings with a stylish 52, featuring nine fours and a six, becoming the fifth Pakistan batter to score a half-century in the innings.
Saud Shakeel fell agonisingly short of a century, dismissed for 93 after miscued hooking a delivery from Asitha Fernando to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, who completed his fifth catch of the innings.
Shakeel, who became Fernando's 100th Test wicket, struck nine boundaries during his 199-ball knock.
At the close of play, Kamindu Mendis was unbeaten on 40, while captain Dhananjaya de Silva remained not out on 22. Sri Lanka still trail by 320 runs on the first innings.
Bad light once again brought an early end to proceedings, with play ending around 25 minutes ahead of schedule.
(With AFP Inputs)
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