Only the second time in 149 years! Pakistan create Test history as three debutants reach fifties in the same innings

Pakistan’s Tayyab Arif celebrates with teammate Azan Awais after scoring a fifty. (AP photo) A bold overhaul of Pakistan’s Test team is already paying off handsomely, with three debutants writing a rare piece of cricket history against Sri Lanka in the ongoing first Test in Rawalpindi. Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha and Arafat Minhas scored half-centuries in Pakistan’s first innings, marking only the second time in Test cricket that three debutants have reached fifties in the same innings.The only previous instance came in Zimbabwe’s first Test against India in Harare in 1992 when Andy Flower (59), Grant Flower (82) and Dave Houghton (121) achieved the feat.Pakistan have handed Test debuts to four players in the competition and all have made an impact on the opening two days. While the three batsmen impressed with the bat, fast bowler Saqib Khan made an immediate impact with the ball and claimed two wickets to help Pakistan take control.Pakistan declared on 434/9 on Day 2, building a sizeable first innings lead after restricting Sri Lanka to 114/3 at stumps on Day 2.

Over 400 debutants rule Pakistan

Minhas scored 52 off 72 balls, including nine fours and a six. He shared a 44-run partnership with Saud Shakeel, who narrowly missed a century after making 93 off 193 deliveries.Tayyab (57 for 51) and Taha (51 for 105) also contributed half-centuries to Pakistan’s commanding total, underscoring the influence of the new faces in the playing eleven.Shakeel anchored the innings through a partnership with wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori, who put on 48, and Minhas. The left-hander was dismissed in the first round after lunch and bowled a short delivery from Asitha Fernando behind the stumps in his gloves. The wicket was Fernando’s 100th in Test cricket.Pakistan captain Babar Azam declared 434/9 in the second session with Razaullah contributing a quick 17 before falling to Lahir Kumar.

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Saqib strikes twice as Sri Lanka struggle

Saqib carried the momentum into Pakistan’s bowling innings, striking twice with the new ball. Along with veteran seamer Mohammad Abbas, he reduced Sri Lanka to 12/2 to give the hosts an early advantage.Abbas picked up Pasinda Sooriyabandar for a duck, found his outside edge before Saqib dismissed Dinesh Chandimal with a delivery that angled across the batter and took his bat by the shoulder.Saqib later claimed the wicket of Lahiru Udara, who scored an aggressive 42 off 47 balls with seven boundaries. After surviving an earlier reprieve, Udara ran into goalkeeper Ghazi Ghori.Sri Lanka bounced back with an unbeaten 49-run partnership between Mendis and de Silva, but bad light brought an early end for the second consecutive day.With Pakistan’s debutants dominating both departments, the hosts are firmly set to push for a result in the Test.