Watch: Babar Azam dismissed for 50 during PAK vs SL 1st Test in Rawalpindi

Babar Azam, the Pakistan Test captain, came into the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a string of low scores. He failed to celebrate a single fifty in the recent tri-series against the same opponent along with England. And in Rawalpindi, during the opening Test, he failed to convert his fifty into a long-awaited century. 

The visiting captain, Kusal Mendis, won the toss and decided to bat first on the surface, which was covered with grass, as he expected it to get better through the contest, besides expecting to get an early advantage with the new ball.

How Babar Azam was dismissed for 50: Watch the wicket that ended his innings in Rawalpindi

Babar walked into the middle after a strong opening partnership before opening his account with a fine boundary against Asitha Fernando through the cover-point region. He went forward and reached to the pacer to find the vacant cover for a four. With some superb boundaries, he celebrated his 35th half-century.

Watch Babar Azam's dismissal here- 

On the fifth delivery of the 35th over of the innings, the Lahore-born was dismissed for 50 runs off 58 balls, shouldering on seven boundaries. It was a fullish delivery from round the wicket of Dilshan Madushanka. It straightened at the last minute.

See Also: Watch: Babar Azam hits back at Mohammad Yousuf over technique advice ahead of PAK vs SL Test

Azam played down the wrong line and got an outside edge back to the wicket-keeper. Madushanka gave them a massive breakthrough that Sri Lanka needed desperately. Babar, who was looking fluent in the middle, went back to the pavilion sadly.

How Pakistan batted against Sri Lanka in the 1st Test: Key moments of the innings

The 86-run opening partnership in just 16 overs between Azan Awais and debutant Tayyab Arif shouldered Pakistan to a superb start with the bat. The latter recorded a fine knock of 57 runs off 51 balls with the help of nine boundaries and one six at a strike rate of 111.76.

However, Awais was a little frustrated after being dismissed for 30 runs off 50 balls. Their third-wicket stand between Mohammad Taha and Babar of 69 runs in 109 balls took the home side to a decent place on the opening day of the encounter.

See Also: Watch: Babar Azam frustrated after dismissal on 42 runs in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2026

Brief Scores: Pakistan 168/3 (Tayyab Arif 57, Babar Azam 50, Milan Rathnayake 1/18) vs Sri Lanka