Pakistan have withstood a late Sri Lanka charge in the first of their two Tests
Saud Shakeel has missed out on a century for the second successive innings but his gritty 97 foiled Sri Lanka's push for victory on the fifth and final day in the drawn first Test against Pakistan.
It was the first drawn game for Pakistan in their disappointing campaign during this World Test Championship cycle, after losing seven and winning two of their previous nine Tests.
Shakeel, who also made 93 in Pakistan's first innings of 9-434 declared, dug in for almost an entire final day before he was bowled by Lahiru Kumara after facing 210 balls on Friday.
By that time, the home team had reached 8-284 for an overall lead of 272 as the players shook hands and the match ended tamely in a draw.
Sri Lanka's pace bowlers had rattled the top order under overcast conditions in the first session by reducing Pakistan to 5-125, but Shakeel showed a fine temperament and shared a match-saving 92-run stand with Ghazi Ghori, who made 35.
Milan Rathnayake (3-47), Asitha Fernando (2-35) and Kumara (2-65) had given Sri Lanka a sniff before Shakeel stood firm and saved Pakistan from going down in the two-Test series.
The second Test will be played at the same Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from next Tuesday after it was relocated to the city due to an increase in the smog level at Lahore.
Shakeel successfully overturned an lbw decision against him early in the innings and also needed medical treatment after a nasty blow on the shoulder off Dilshan Madushanka's short ball as the Sri Lankan seamers got plenty of movement in favourable conditions.
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