RAWALPINDI: Pakistan opener Abid Ali became the first batsman to score hundreds on both Test and one-day international debuts when he struck a ton against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
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 bowing down on the ground.
His feat came on the fifth and final day at Rawalpindi stadium and follows his 112 against Australia in Dubai on his one-day international debut in March this year.
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Abid one of 15 batsmen to score a hundred on a one-day international debut since the inception of limited over cricket in January 1971, but none of the others also had a Test debut century.
Pakistan finished at 252-2, with stylish batsman Babar Azam knocking his third Test century with a boundary off spinner Dilruwan Perera. Azam ended with 102 not out, which came in 151 minutes of punishing batting spiced by 14 crisp boundaries.
The day belonged to Abid, one of 15 batsmen to score a hundred on their one-day international debut since limited over cricket began in January 1971.
None of the others also scored a century on their debut in Test cricket, which started in 1876. Abid is the 11th Pakistani batsmen to score a century on Test debut.
“I don’t have words to thank the Almighty,” said Abid of his feat. “My plan was to see off the new ball and then I gradually built the innings with plans for every five overs. So I kept trying to keep that up, and Babar gave me confidence in 90s.”
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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.
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. Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne hopes his team moves on.
The draw gives both Pakistan and Sri Lanka 20 points each in the World Test championship with the top two contesting the June 2021 final. Skipper Azhar Ali scored a shaky 36 before he was caught off Lahiru Kumara.
Dhananjaya finally completed his sixth Test century in the morning. The right-hander drove paceman Mohammad Abbas for his 15th boundary to bring up the hundred in his 28th Test.
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