Mohammad Tayyab Arif announced himself in Test cricket with a sparkling fifty on debut as Pakistan reached 122 for 2 against Sri Lanka on the opening day of the first Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday. The debutant’s 57 off 51 balls, struck at a rate of more than a run a ball, gave Babar Azam’s new-look side a flying start after Sri Lanka had won the toss (toss report) and asked Pakistan to bat first. At the time of writing, captain Babar Azam was unbeaten on 24 and fellow debutant Mohammad Taha was not out on 8, with Pakistan well placed in the first session of the two-match series (match preview).
Tayyab Arif fifty lights up Rawalpindi on debut
The Tayyab Arif fifty was the story of the morning. One of four Pakistan debutants in the XI, Tayyab walked out to open the batting and played with the freedom of a man with nothing to lose, driving and cutting with confidence from the start. His half-century came up inside the first hour, and he finished with nine fours and a six in a 57 that set the tone for the innings.
Tayyab found a willing partner in Azan Awais, and the two openers had raced to 86 without loss by the 16th over, scoring at close to five runs an over against a Sri Lanka attack that had been expected to enjoy the first-morning conditions. Azan played the steadier hand, making 30 off 50 balls with seven fours, while Tayyab took the attack to the bowlers and kept the scoreboard moving.
Sri Lanka hit back with two quick wickets
Sri Lanka refused to let the morning drift away and hit back with two wickets in quick succession. Azan was the first to go, caught behind by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis off Milan Rathnayake for 30, and Tayyab followed soon after, also caught by Mendis, this time off Asitha Fernando, for 57 with the score on 90 for 2.
Rathnayake was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers, conceding only 15 runs in his seven overs for his one wicket, while Fernando took 1 for 43 from eight overs. Lahiru Kumara went for 26 in four overs without a wicket and Dilshan Madushanka conceded 36 from six, as Pakistan’s openers refused to let the visitors settle into a rhythm.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Taha steady Pakistan
Babar Azam and Mohammad Taha then steadied Pakistan, adding an unbeaten 32 for the third wicket to take the total to 122 for 2 at the end of 25 overs. Babar, leading the side, was unbeaten on 24 off 28 balls with three fours, while Taha, another of the four debutants, was 8 not out off 22 balls.
Taha had a moment of good fortune in the 24th over, when Sri Lanka reviewed an LBW appeal against him. The impact was umpire’s call, so the on-field not-out decision stood and Sri Lanka kept their review. The pair saw Pakistan safely through the rest of the session, keeping the run rate at 4.88 an over and leaving the home side in a strong position heading towards lunch.
What the Tayyab Arif fifty means for Pakistan
The Tayyab Arif fifty is an early reward for Pakistan’s bold selection. Handing debuts to four players — Tayyab, Mohammad Taha, Arafat Minhas and Saqib Khan — was a clear statement of intent from the selectors, and the opening batter’s confident half-century on the biggest stage of his career so far suggests the gamble has already paid off.
The series carries real weight for both sides in the World Test Championship, with Pakistan needing a strong home result to repair their campaign in the 2025–27 cycle. A big first-innings total in Rawalpindi, built on the platform laid by Tayyab’s fifty, would put the home side firmly in control of the opening Test. The second Test follows at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from 17 to 21 November, but for now the story of the day belongs to a debutant who made his first Test innings count.
Sources: Cricbuzz live score and CricTracker full scorecard.
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