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Debutant Saqib Khan Takes Seven Wickets as Pakistan Edge Ahead Against Sri Lanka

Trending Now • 13 November 2026 • 4 min read

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium under floodlights at dusk

Photo: Neweditorpk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons — Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium under floodlights at dusk.

TL;DR — the direct answer: Pakistan's debutant pacer Saqib Khan has announced himself in spectacular fashion. The first-Test newcomer took seven wickets for 130 runs in Rawalpindi on Thursday, sparking a Sri Lankan collapse on day four — and by stumps Pakistan were 45 runs ahead with nine wickets in hand. With more rain forecast for Friday, the match is heading for a draw, but Saqib's debut is already the story of the series.

What happened: Sri Lanka resumed on 404 for four, in a strong position, and then fell apart. Saqib ripped through the middle and lower order, finishing with seven for 130, as the tourists slumped to 446 all out — a lead of only 12 runs. Pakistan then closed on 57 for one in their second innings, leading by 45, before bad light and rain ended play early on day four of the first Test in Rawalpindi. Pakistan had made 434 in their first innings. The second and final Test of the series starts in Rawalpindi on 17 November.

Why it's trending: Seven wickets on debut is rare in any era, and Saqib did it by turning a match Sri Lanka were controlling. The tourists were 404 for four overnight — settled, ahead, and looking at a big first-innings lead — and within a session they had lost their last six wickets for 42 runs. Debutants do not usually bowl their side back into a Test; Saqib did it with the old ball, on a flat Rawalpindi pitch, in his first match at this level. It is the kind of debut that gets a fast bowler's name remembered, and it has Pakistan — who were behind for much of the match — finishing the day in front.

Background / context: The series is Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan, and the first Test has been shaped by the weather as much as by the cricket. Rain and bad light have already eaten into playing time, and more rain is forecast for Friday, which is why the match is drifting towards a draw despite Pakistan's late advantage. For Pakistan, the debut is a bright spot in a home season that has needed one: a new-ball bowler taking seven wickets in his first Test gives the selectors a genuine option for the second Test, which starts at the same ground on Tuesday.

What we know / what's unconfirmed: Confirmed: Saqib's figures of seven for 130, Sri Lanka's 446 all out after resuming on 404 for four, Pakistan's 57 for one and 45-run lead at stumps on day four, and the 17 November start for the second Test. Unconfirmed: whether Friday's weather allows enough play for either side to force a result — the forecast points to more rain, and a draw looks the likeliest outcome. What is not in doubt is Saqib's place in the side: a debutant who takes seven wickets does not get dropped for the next Test.

What happens next: Play resumes on Friday, weather permitting, with Pakistan 45 ahead and nine wickets in hand. If the rain stays away, Pakistan will look to build a lead quickly and set Sri Lanka a chase; if it returns, the match will peter out into the draw it now resembles. Either way, the second Test starts in Rawalpindi on 17 November — and Saqib Khan, who began the week as an unknown debutant, will begin it as the bowler Sri Lanka have to plan for.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Who is Saqib Khan?
A: A debutant Pakistan fast bowler playing his first Test, against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. He took seven wickets for 130 runs on day four of the match.

Q: What were Saqib Khan's figures?
A: Seven wickets for 130 runs, as Sri Lanka collapsed from 404 for four overnight to 446 all out — losing their last six wickets for 42 runs.

Q: What is the state of the match?
A: Pakistan closed day four on 57 for one in their second innings, leading by 45 runs. Pakistan made 434 in their first innings; Sri Lanka made 446.

Q: Will the match have a result?
A: Probably not — more rain is forecast for Friday, and the match is heading for a draw after bad light and rain already ended day four early.

Q: When is the second Test?
A: The second and final Test of the series starts in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, 17 November.

Sources: News Trend Today — Morning Headlines Roundup: Saqib Khan's 7 Wickets on Debut (13 November 2026), The Top Bookies — Live Cricket Scores: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, and LiveScore — Cricket Live Scores & Fixtures, 13 November 2026.

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