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Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test: Abid Ali makes history on debut, Babar Azam dazzles in Rawalpindi draw

Abid Ali made history with a hundred on Test debut while Babar Azam also reached three figures for Pakistan in a rain-ruined series opener with Sri Lanka.

By Rob Lancaster
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Rawalpindi, Dec. 15: Abid Ali became the first player to score a hundred on both Test and one-day debut as the rain-ruined first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka finished in a predictable draw.

Abid was one of three players to reach a century on the fifth day in Rawalpindi, Dhananjaya de Silva (102 not out) having done so for the tourists in the morning session before Sri Lanka declared their first innings on 308-6.

Pakistan lost Shan Masood for a duck at the start of their reply but opening partner Abid, along with Babar Azam, capitalised on the opportunity to spend some time in the middle knowing the result of the contest was already a formality.

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The pair came together following the departure of Azhar Ali for 36, the Pakistan captain caught at short midwicket off the bowling of Lahiru Kumara to leave the score at 90-2.

However, Sri Lanka failed to make any further inroads into the home line-up before play was called off early due to bad light.

Having made 112 on his first ODI appearance for his country against Australia back in March, Abid marked his Test bow with an unbeaten 109 from 201 deliveries. His knock included 11 fours, while he happily played second fiddle in an unbroken partnership worth 162 for the third wicket.

Babar was far more expansive in his innings, delighting the home crowd in the first Test to be staged on Pakistan soil in over a decade. The elegant right-hander reached three figures with a punch through the covers for one of his 14 boundaries, reaching the landmark in what turned out to be the penultimate over of the game.

The teams will hope for better luck with the weather when they play the second and final Test in Karachi, starting on Thursday.

Story first published: Sunday, December 15, 2019, 18:28 [IST]
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