Rawalpindi: Opener Abid Ali became the first batsman to score hundreds on both Test and one-day debuts as Pakistan’s first home match in the long form of the game since the 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lanka team ended in a tame draw against the same opponents Sunday.
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On 95, the 32-year-old hit paceman Vishwa Fernando for a boundary and then drove him through cover for two to complete his hundred, raising his hands in jubilation before kneeling on the ground to offer a prayer of gratitude.
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His hundred came in 267 minutes, laced with 11 boundaries, and was the highlight of a Test badly affected by bad weather.
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Pakistan finished at 252-2, with stylish batsman Babar Azam knocking his third Test century with a boundary off spinner Dilruwan Perera.
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Azam ended with 102 not out, which came in 151 minutes of punishing batting spiced by 14 crisp boundaries.
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But the day belonged to Abid, one of 15 batsmen to score a hundred on their one-day international debut – against Australia in Dubai in March his year – since the inception of limited over cricket in January 1971.
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None of the others also scored a century on their debut in Test cricket, which started in 1876.
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Abid is the 11th Pakistani batsmen to score a century on Test debut.
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Abid’s feat spiced up the historic Test, the first in Pakistan since the 2009 attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus left international cricket suspended in the country.
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Only 91.5 overs were possible on the first four days as rain, bad light and overcast conditions affected play. The fourth day was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
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But there was bright sunshine on Sunday as Sri Lanka batted for 20 minutes to declare their first innings at 308-6 with middle-order batsman Dhananjaya de Silva scoring an unbeaten 102.
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With gates opened to the crowd for free, about 12,000 fans were kept entertained by Dhananjaya and then Abid.
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Pakistan lost opener Shan Masood for nought when he drove a full toss from paceman Kasun Rajitha straight into the hands of Dinesh Chandimal at cover
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Skipper Azhar Ali scored a shaky 36 before he was caught off Lahiru Kumara.
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Dhananjaya finally completed his sixth Test century in the morning.
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The 28-year-old right-hander drove paceman Mohammad Abbas for his 15th boundary to bring up the hundred in his 28th Test.
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De Silva remained unbeaten on 102 after 241 minutes of batting, having come in with the score on 127-4 on Thursday. Dilruwan Perera remained unbeaten on 16.
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The pick of the Pakistan bowlers were 16-year-old quickie Naseem Shah, who took 2-92, and Shaheen Shah Afridi with 2-58.
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The second Test is in Karachi starting December 19.
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