PAK vs SL Match 1 Live Commentary - Rawalpindi (18 October 2026)

Colombage comes around the wicket to the left-hander, bowling it on a length and angling it into the stumps. Baig pats it back down the pitch.

A valiant effort, but the ball lands just short.

No run, played towards covers.

FOUR! Dispatched with sheer ease and timing. Overpitched around middle, Babar Azam uses the wrists to drive it away between mid on and mid-wicket, picking up a boundary.

Fuller and angled well into the pads, Azam gets his hands out in front and clips it in front of square leg for a run. The 50-run stand is up between these two as well.

Just a smidge fuller than a good length and outside off, Baig leans into the drive but can't get it past the man at extra cover.

SIX! That's an eye-catching shot. Marginally short and pretty straight. Saad Baig hangs back and short-arm jabs it towards cow corner and the ball sails over the ropes.

A proper short ball now, over leg stump, and Baig swivel-pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

WIDE! A gentle-paced delivery, full and spilled down the leg side.

Stifled appeal for LBW, but that's sliding down leg. Good length, at just over 122 kph and angled into the pads. Azam gets tucked up and looks to nudge it away but misses and wears it on the pads.

On a length and outside off, sliding back into the left-hander. Baig rocks back and punches it away through covers for a single.

Floated up, very full and outside off. Azam strokes it to deep extra cover for one more.

Short and wide, cut away from deep within the crease and towards deep backward point for yet another single.

Tossed up on middle and leg, attempted wrong'un. Azam gets a good stride ahead and smothers it on the full to the leg side.

The quicker one now, on a length and darting back in from just outside off. Babar picks it late and jams it off the outside edge to short third.

Lobbed up wide of the off stump, inviting the drive. Azam lunges across and eases it through the cover region for a single.

Just back of a length, on a tighter line around off. Azam stays back and blocks it with soft hands, just past the cut strip on the off side.

Malinga hits a hard length, angling it in from outside off. Babar covers the line well and defends it right under the eyes.

WIDE! This time, it is given a wide. Dug in short over middle and leg, angling in, but the ball sails well over the head of the batter.

A good-length delivery angling into the hips, Azam tucks it down to fine leg and rotates strike.

Full of a good length, landing it on middle and leg with a hint of movement in the air. Saad Baig solidly blocks it off.

Good change-up by Malinga, and it nearly brings him a wicket as well. A quick short ball, at 140.5 kph, skidding across the left-hander. Baig is rushed as he looks to pull and mistimes it badly towards wide mid on, picking up a single.

On the fuller side and outside off, Babar Azam leans into the drive and smacks it well to the right of deep cover for a couple of runs.

Beaten right away! A bit fuller and angled across the left-hander. Baig leans on to drive but the ball angles and bounces past the blade.

That's a lovely delivery. Slowed up at 81.8 kph, floating it up just outside off. Saad Baig plays for some turn but the ball goes straight on and past the outside edge again.

Tossed up on middle and leg now, Baig leans on and clips it to mid-wicket.

SIX! Baig picks the right delivery to go after, and luckily for him, the fielder is well inside the ropes as well. Dragged short and turning into the batter. Baig goes deep in his crease and wallops the pull straight into the boundary rope at deep mid-wicket.

Pushed through flatter and into the pads, this is tucked away just in front of square leg.

Nice and full, outside off, and driven straight into the hands of the fielder at short cover.

FOUR! That's begging to be hit! Short and wide, sliding onto the bat nicely. Babar Azam stays upright and punches it down behind point for a crisp boundary.

Azam is not happy with that call. Banged in halfway down the pitch and wide of the off stump. Azam leaves it as the ball sails over his head, but no wide is called.

Much better length from Malinga. Full of a good length, in and around off. Azam blocks it off the front foot.

Full and straight now, at 140.1 kph. Babar is a bit rushed, but manages to get forward and keep it out towards mid on.

Another short ball, around head height and angled just down leg. Azam ducks under it, and again it's been deemed as a fair delivery, and rightly so.

A string of five dots after that boundary, and it's a good finish to the over by Malinga. Fuller length, attacking the middle stump. Azam gets halfway forward and blocks it off.

Pitched fuller and on the fifth-stump line, angling away. Baig leans across and strokes it to point.

On the shorter side, angled in at the hips. Baig misses the tuck and the ball goes off the thigh pad behind square leg for a leg bye.

Fullish length, sliding into the pads. Babar Azam leans ahead and flicks it down to fine leg for one more.

A tad short and a bit too straight from Shanaka. This is worked off the hips and down to fine leg for yet another single.

On a hard length, seaming away from the fifth-stump line. Babar steers it away with the angle and the ball rolls down to deep third for a single.

Shanaka starts and ends with a dot, only 4 runs off the over. Shanaka comes around the wicket and bowls a slingy delivery into the stumps. Saad Baig solidly blocks it off.

 Skiddy length ball, around off. Babar chops it toward the man at point.

 On a hard length, on off. Babar gets forward in defence.

 Overpitched, around off. Babar gets forward and drives it toward the man at cover. Nicely stroked but straight to the fielder.

FOUR! Finds the gap! Full-length delivery, wide outside off. Babar nails the drive through the gap at extra cover for a cracking boundary.

 Short of a good length, around off. Dabbed towards the man at backward point.

 On a length, at the stumps. Babar looks to defend, but gets an inside edge onto the pad. A stifled appeal is turned down.

 Skiddy length ball, around off. Babar looks to cut but misses.

 On a length, on off. Babar gets forward in defence.

 Fuller than a length on off. Babar strokes it toward mid off.

 On a length, on the pad. Babar clips it through the gap at square leg for a brace.

 Good length delivery on off. Babar defends on the front foot.

 Fuller than a length at the stumps. Babar clips it toward wide of mid on for a single. 50 comes up for Pakistan.

 Back of a length on off. Baig is behind the line and drops into the off side.

 Short of a good length, attacking the stumps. Baig hangs back and defends it toward the man at point.

FOUR! Gets off the mark in style! Back of a length on the middle stump line. Baig gets on top of the bounce and pulls it toward deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

 Fuller than a good length, just outside off. Baig looks to defend, but gets beaten on the edge.

FOUR! Top shot! Back of a length, around off. Baig gets on top of the bounce and punches it through the gap at point for another boundary.

 On a hard length, at the stumps. Baig knocks it toward mid-on.

WIDE! Short of a good length, angled down the leg. Babar misses the clip. Signaled wide by the umpire.

 Back of a length, on middle. Babar gets on top of the bounce and drops into the leg side.

 Fuller than a length, at the stumps. Babar gets forward in defence.

 On a length, at the stumps. Babar clips it to the man at short mid-wicket.

FOUR! Dispatched! Back of a length, on the middle stump line. Babar picks it early and whacks the pull over the mid-wicket fielder for a thumping boundary.

 Just misses the stumps! On a length, on off. Babar looks to defend from the crease, ends up dropping onto the pitch, and the ball nearly rolls toward the stumps. 

 Fuller than a length on the middle and leg. Babar clips it through the gap at mid-wicket for a couple.

 Short of a good length, angling away from the batter outside off. Babar cuts it to the cover point fielder.

 A low full toss, down the leg. Babar clips it toward fine leg for a single.

 On a hard length, on off. Zaman blocks it toward the backward point fielder.

 On a length, at the stumps. Zaman works it toward the square leg fielder.

 TAKEN! MADUSHANKA GETS THE BIG FISH! Back of a length delivery, on the middle stump line. Zaman is rushed for pace, the ball gets big on him, and he mis-times the pull toward mid-on, where Colombage takes a simple catch. Both the openers are gone now. Pakistan are two down.

 Short of a good length, it nips away just and goes past the outside edge of Baig.

 Fuller than a length, on the pad. Zaman clips it to fine leg for one.

 Pitched full, on off. Babar gets forward and defends solidly.

 Short of a good length, on off. Babar is behind the line and defends with a dead bat.

 On a length, on the middle and leg. Babar clips it toward short mid-wicket.

FOUR! Majestic! Full and swings away around off. Babar gets forward and strokes it elegantly through the covers for a lovely boundary.

 Pitched full, around off. Babar plays a punchy drive through the gap at covers and takes three runs.

 On a hard length, on off. Ayub prods and dabs it toward the backward point fielder.

SIX! That's his go-to shot! Back of a length, angled down the leg. Ayub gets inside the line and whacks it over the fine leg fence for a 66m hit.

 Fuller than a length on the leg stump line. Ayub tries to work it leg side, but gets a soft leading edge that lands in front of the bowler.

 CAUGHT! SOFT DISMISSAL FOR AYUB! A low full toss on the middle-and-leg-stump line. Ayub looks to flick it across the line but ends up chipping off a leading edge toward mid-off, where Liyanage takes a simple catch. Pakistan are rocked early.

 Fuller than a length, angling across the batter, around off. Babar lets it go.

 Jaffa! Short of a good length, just outside off, and goes past the poking blade of Babar.

FOUR! Put away! Full and on the leg stump. Zaman flicks it through the gap at square leg and finds the fences in quick time.

 Fuller than a length on off. Zaman knocks it back to the bowler.

 Short of a good length, angled across the batter, around off. Zaman lets it go.

FOUR! Past the fielder! Full and on the leg pole. Zaman flicks it past the diving square leg fielder for an easy boundary.

 Good length delivery on off. Zaman defends into the off side.

 Back of a length on off. Zaman is behind the line and defends in front of the mid off fielder.

 Pakistan are away! Back of a length on off. Ayub rides the bounce and guides it toward deep third for a single.

NO BALL! Peach. Lands it on a length, just outside off. Zaman looks to defend forward, but the ball moves late and beats his outside edge. Madushanka has overstepped. No ball signaled. Free hit to follow.

SIX! BANG! Good length delivery in the slot, on off. Zaman clears the front leg and tonks it over the cow corner fence for half a dozen.

 On a length, around off. Zaman guides it toward deep third for one.

 Short of a good length on off. Ayub defends from the crease.

 Back of a length on middle. Ayub is behind the line in defence.

 On a hard length, on off. Ayub presses forward and keeps it out.

 Asitha pitches it full, swinging back into the leg stump line. Zaman misses the flick and wears on the pad. A stifled appeal from the bowler is turned down.

 A high full toss, down the leg. Zaman looks to hack it away but gets an inside edge onto the thigh pad and lobs into the vacant leg side region.

 Full pitcher, nipping back into the leg stump line. Zaman looks to clip it across the line but misses and gets a thud on the pad.

 Keeps it full, at the sticks. Zaman looks to work it through mid-wicket but gets an inside edge onto the pad.

 Fuller than a good length on off. Zaman gets forward in defence.

 Good length delivery on off. Zaman defends it back to the bowler. Maiden to start the game.