Pakistan handed Test debuts to four players for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, 9 November, as the two-match series got under way. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Batters Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha, spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas and fast bowler Saqib Khan all received their first Test caps for Pakistan, who fielded a new-look side under captain Babar Azam. Azan Awais, Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas completed the XI.

Mendis leads Sri Lanka for the first time

Kusal Mendis captained Sri Lanka in Test cricket for the first time and pointed to the green tinge on the pitch when he chose to field. His side went with four fast bowlers — Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka and Milan Rathnayaka — with Sonal Dinusha, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis as the spin options.

The series is Sri Lanka's first Test tour of Pakistan since 2019, and both matches count towards the World Test Championship. Pakistan sit bottom of the standings, with Sri Lanka seventh. The sides have met in 59 Tests, with Pakistan winning 23, Sri Lanka 17 and 19 drawn.

The first Test runs until 13 November, with the second Test scheduled for Lahore from 17 to 21 November.