Saud Shakeel became a victim of the nervous nineties for the third time in his career as Pakistan took control of the first Test against Sri Lanka on the second day in Rawalpindi, which saw only 66.2 overs of play.

Saud, previously dismissed for 97 and 94 against England at Lord’s and Multan, fell for 93, but Pakistan still declared their first innings at 434 for nine after starting the day at 281 for five.

Debutant Saqib Khan then took two wickets and Abbas one as Sri Lanka finished at 114 for three, with Kamindu Mendis batting on 42 and Dhananjaya De Silva on 22.

Apart from Saud, debutant Arafat Minhas followed Mohammad Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha in scoring a half-century. Arafat’s 52 included a 44-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Saud and 41 for the eighth wicket with Razaullah, helping Pakistan maintain a healthy run-rate of 4.07, which could be crucial in a match in which 46.2 overs have already been lost in two days.

Saud looked calm and calculated until he gloved a short-pitched delivery from Asitha Fernando, giving wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis his fifth catch of the innings. The wicket also helped Fernando complete 100 Test wickets.

Saud faced 199 balls in 333 minutes and struck nine fours. He resumed on 57 and was 91 at lunch.

With wicketkeeper Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Saud shared a 96-run partnership, the highest of the innings. Ghazi began the day on seven and was smartly caught for 48 from 72 balls with two fours.

Arafat replaced Ghazi, and although his innings was far from attractive, it was useful as it allowed Saud and Pakistan to add valuable runs on a pitch that continued to help the bowlers.

After Arafat departed at 434 and Razaullah became the ninth batter dismissed eight balls later at the same score, captain Babar Azam declared.

For Sri Lanka, Fernando finished with three for 107, while Dilshan Madushanka took three for 108.

Sri Lanka started poorly when Abbas took eight balls to claim his first wicket, before Saqib opened his account by dismissing Dinesh Chandimal on the ninth ball of his career as the visitors slipped to 12 for two.

Saqib struck again in the 17th over, accounting for opener Lahiru Udara with the score at 65. But Kamindu and De Silva took the score to 114 for three before the umpires called off the day because of bad light.

Scores in brief (day two of five)

Pakistan (overnight 281-5, 67.2 overs) 434-9 dec., 106.3 overs (Saud Shakeel 93, Mohammad Tayyab Arif 57, Arafat Minhas 52, Mohammad Taha 51, Babar Azam 50, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori 48, Azan Awais 30; Asitha Fernando 3-107, Dilshan Madushanka 3-108)

Sri Lanka 114-3, 27.1 overs (Lahiru Udara 42, Kamindu Mendis 42 not out, Dhananjaya De Silva 22 not out; Saqib Khan 2-54