On day three of the rain-affected first match, Pakistan were playing against Sri Lanka, when Saud Shakeel recorded his first Test double century. As a result, Pakistan extended their advantage to a commanding 149 runs over their opponent.
After a tedious ninth-wicket partnership of 94 between Shakeel, who stayed unbeaten on 208, and Naseem Shah, who hit six off of 78 balls, Sri Lanka bowled out the visitors for 461 in the last session of the match.
Shakeel, who is 27 years old and now in his sixth Test match, reigned as he cut Dhananjaya de Silva for a boundary to bring up his double century, which was met with a standing ovation from the crowd.
After yet another rain-filled day, poor lighting forced the hosts to call it a day when they were tied at 14 with no losses. Despite playing their second innings, Sri Lanka is still behind Pakistan by 135 runs.
Both Nishan Madushka, who was batting on eight, and Dimuth Karunaratne, who was batting on six, were still at the batting crease when play was called off.
The Sri Lankan bowlers, headed by off-spinner Ramesh Mendis, who finished with a five-wicket haul, came back in the second session, but Shakeel cooperated with the lower-order, including a 52-run seventh-wicket partnership with Noman Ali, who scored 25. Ramesh Mendis concluded the match with a five-wicket haul.
However, it was his partnership of 177 runs with Agha Salman, who scored 83 runs, that propelled Pakistan’s bounce back from 101-5 in their response to Sri Lanka’s 312.
As Shakeel progressed over his previous high of 125 not out, he was dismissed twice, first on 93 and again on 139.
The run rate decreased when Salman left the game, despite the fact that Shakeel and Salman both scored runs quickly and struck boundaries on a frequent basis.
As a result of the rain that had disrupted play on the two days before, the session times had to be rescheduled. The day got off to a late start because to the weather.