1st Test: Pakistan secure slim first innings lead against Sri Lanka

Hosts finally lose debutant Haris Sohail as their first innings concludes at 422

ABU DHABI: Pakistan have a nominal three-run lead over Sri Lanka in the first Abu Dhabi Test  after their final wicket of the first innings finally fell before tea.

Debutant Haris Sohail and Muhammad Abbas made the Islanders work very hard in the pre-tea session, with the former scoring 76 runs off 161 balls and latter contributing a measly one run but taking 34 balls.

Sohail became Suranga Lakmal's second wicket as Pakistan's innings concluded at 422 -- three more than Sri Lanka's tally of 419.

Earlier, Azhar Ali was joined by Sohail as Pakistan resumed their first innings on the fourth morning's play of the first-Test against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.



Ali, who became the eighth cricketer in country’s rich Test history to score 5,000 runs, rescued hosts batting with a fighting half-century on the day three.

The one-drop batsman was unbeaten on 74 but saw Babar Azam fell for 28 in the last over of the day as Pakistan finished on 266-4 on a Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch which has started to assist spinners.

Pakistan still trail the Sri Lankan first innings total of 419 by 153 runs with six wickets intact.



Pakistan had pinned their hopes on Ali in the post Younus Khan and Misbahul Haq era who retired in May this year after shouldering team’s batting for nearly seven years.

A cautious Ali made sure Pakistan do not concede a big lead in the first innings, having hit only one boundary in his 26th Test half century.

In all Ali has so far hit three boundaries during his 297 minutes of batting. He added 79 for the third wicket with Asad Shafiq who made 39 to take the fight to Sri Lankan three-pronged spin attack.