De Silva aids Sri Lanka's recovery during the Galle Test as Afridi decimates the top order.

 Shaheen Afridi takes three wickets in the morning session in his first Test match in over a year.

Dhananjaya de Silva's unbroken 94 runs helped Sri Lanka recover from an early collapse to reach 242-6 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium with Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi getting three wickets on his comeback to the Test match.

The home team was down to 54-4 when Mathews and Dhananjaya put together a century partnership for the fifth wicket, scoring 131 runs in 198 balls to get their team back in the game.

But just as tea was about to be served, spinner Abrar Ahmed struck when Mathews edged a ball to wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed. Nine four-run innings let him score 64 runs.

When Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat against Pakistan in the first Test, bowler Shaheen Afridi shone.

Afridi, who returned to Test cricket after nearly a year away, captured three wickets in day one's morning session.

After dismissing Sri Lankan opener Nishan Madushka (4) in the third over of the innings, the 23-year-old also reached 100 Test wickets.

Afridi is the 19th player from Pakistan to amass 100 wickets in the game's longest format.

Additionally, the left-armer sent Kusal Mendis (12) and Dimuth Karunaratne (29), the captain of Sri Lanka, back to the hut.

For the visitors, Naseem Shah also claimed one wicket, Dinesh Chandimal (1).

Sadeera Samarawickrama (36) was returning to the hut when Imam-ul-Haq took a spectacular catch at short-leg off the bowling of Agha Salman.

It should be mentioned that Sri Lanka was 18-1 when the game was called because of rain in the sixth over. After an hour and a half, players returned to the pitch to start play again.

Only 65.4 overs had been bowled at that point in the day when the game was stopped by rain in the last session as well.

Sri Lanka has prevailed four times—in 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2022—of the seven Tests played to date at Galle between the two teams, while Pakistan has triumphed three times—in 2000, 2015, and 2022.

Lineups

Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Nishan Madhushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, and Dinesh Chandimal are all Sri Lankan players. Sixth Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Kasun Rajitha, Prabath Jayasuriya, and Vishwa Fernando round out the top 11.

Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (captain), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, and Abdullah Shafique are Pakistan's top six players. AGHASALMAN 7 Eight Nauman Ali, 10 Abrar Ahmed, 11 Shaheen Shah Afridi, and 9 Naseem Shah

Schedule

First Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, 16–20 July

Second Test, July 24-28, Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo