Pakistan maintained control over the Rawalpindi Test on Day 2, ending the session with a strong 320-run advantage after reducing Sri Lanka to 114/3 in their first innings. Saqib Khan made an immediate impact on debut with two quick strikes, though an unbeaten 49-run partnership between Kamindu Mendis and captain Dhananjaya de Silva offered the visitors some late stability. Play was called off early for the second consecutive afternoon due to bad light, bringing the total overs lost across the first two days to nearly 45. Importantly, they went to Stumps unseparated, having given Sri Lanka some stability on a day largely dominated by the hosts.
Resuming the morning at 281/5, Saud Shakeel and Ghazi Ghouri built on Pakistan’s solid opening-day foundation. The duo put together a 96-run partnership while capitalizing on Sri Lanka’s erratic short-pitched bowling. Ghouri fell short of his maiden Test fifty when a sharp catch at gully removed him. Arafat Minhas then joined Shakeel and countered a short-ball tactic by blasting a four and a six off consecutive deliveries from Lahiru Kumara, despite an earlier close call on 10. Resuming at 281/5, Saud Shakeel and Ghazi Ghouri continued without much trouble, capitalising on Sri Lanka’s loose bowling, which tended to be too short at times. On 10, he fended a delivery off Lahiru Kumara, but was lucky to not be caught by the close-in fielder. But they managed to reach Tea without any more damage, pakistan kept testing them. Mendis, in the company of de Silva navigated through the next phase, putting away any loose deliveries even as light faded and the action continued under lights.
Shakeel anchored the innings methodically, scoring just two boundaries in the morning session as he approached three figures. However, on 93, he gloved an attempted pull off Asitha Fernando to the wicketkeeper, giving the Sri Lankan pacer his 100th Test wicket. Following the milestone, Minhas paired with the aggressive Razuallah to push the total past 400. Minhas hit nine boundaries and a six to complete his maiden Test half-century before falling to Dilshan Madhushanka. Stand-in captain Babar Azam declared the innings at 434/9 shortly after. Minhas, and the hard-hitting Razuallah, looked for quick runs after crossing the 400-run mark. On 434/9, Babar Azam felt they had enough to declare.
Pakistan’s opening bowlers made swift inroads in a lively evening session. Veteran pacer Mohammad Abbas drew first blood by squaring up Pasindu Sooriyabandara with a late-nipping delivery. In the very next over, debutant Saqib Khan found Dinesh Chandimal’s outside edge to reduce Sri Lanka to 12/2. Lahiru Udara attempted to lead a recovery, combining with Kamindu Mendis for a 50-run stand. Udara was dropped at gully on 40 off Saqib, but the bowler got his revenge shortly after by edging him behind for 42. Getting the ball to seam into the right-handed duo of openers, mohammad Abbas began with three slips (and a no-ball).
Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva safely handled the remaining overs under floodlights despite further close calls, including a near chop-on by de Silva and a run-out chance for Mendis. At Stumps, Mendis remained unbeaten on 40 alongside de Silva. Sri Lanka closed the day at 114/3 (Lahiru Udara 42, Kamindu Mendis 40*; Saqib Khan 2-54, Mohammad Abbas 1-23), still trailing Pakistan’s first-innings total of 434/9 declared (Saud Shakeel 93, Tayyab Arif 57; Asitha Fernando 3-107, Dilshan Madhushanka 3-108) by 320 runs.
