Sri Lanka vs Pakistan HIGHLIGHTS, 1st Test, Day 1: Pakistan 24/2, trail Sri Lanka by 198

DAY 1 Recap: Pakistan bowled out Sri Lanka for 222 in the first innings on the Day 1 of the first Test. They were later reduced to 24/2 before the stumps were called. Pakistan are trailing Sri Lanka by 198 runs with Azhar Ali and Babar Azam unbeaten in the middle.

Pitch report| Russel Arnold: "It looks like a good pitch. There is a nice covering of grass, which should make the pitch hold. It'll crumble later on, and will test the batters as the match wears on. Win the toss and bat first."

Toss | Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first

Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan in the opening Test of the two-match series on Saturday.

The hosts made two changes to the team that beat Australia in a series-levelling win earlier this week at the same venue in Galle, which saw some rain in the morning.

Dhananjaya de Silva and Oshada Fernando replaced Kamindu Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, who was one of the four players to get Covid ahead of and during the second Australia Test.

Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, recalled leg-spinner Yasir Shah and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz to their team, which has three fast bowlers.

All-rounder Salman Ali Agha was handed his first Test cap by batting coach Mohammad Yousuf during a team huddle before the beginning of play on Saturday.

Teams

Sri Lanka: Oshada Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Prabath Jayasuriya, Kasun Rajitha

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (capt), Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Marais Erasmus (RSA)

TV Umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

With AFP inputs