Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test: Babar Azam's side take on Sri Lanka

Pakistan are off to a flying start on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi, racing to 53/0 in the 9th over after being put in to bat. Openers Azan Awais and Tayyab Arif have raised a rapid 50-run partnership by the 9th over, dominating the Sri Lankan bowling attack with an incredibly aggressive approach. The scoring has been heavily reliant on boundaries, with 46 of the 53 runs coming from hits to the fence, including 10 fours and a single six, leaving the visitors searching for an early breakthrough on a batting-friendly surface.

0 Overs11.2 Score63 - 0 Milan Rathnayaka to Azan Awais, Well bowled. Pushed across the off stump, on a good length. Awais could have left it alone, but he has a slight feel for the ball. Gets beaten on the outside edge.

1 Overs11.1 Score63 - 0 Milan Rathnayaka to Tayyab Arif, Finds the edge straight away. A bit of an away shape, on a back of a length, on off. Arif pushes away from his body tentatively. The outside edge is found but it goes well wide of gully and to the left of backward point. They cross.

0 Overs10.6 Score62 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Azan Awais, Edgy! Goes wide on the crease, does Kumara, outside the off stump, on a good length. Awais defends slightly away from his body, but he does so with soft hands. The outside edge goes down and on the bounce to third slip.

0 Overs10.4 Score62 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Azan Awais, Beaten! Bowled in the channel, a bit fuller than the previous ball. Awais pokes away from his body and is lucky not to nick it behind.

0 Overs10.3 Score62 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Azan Awais, From around the wicket for the left-hander, bashes the hard length and gets the ball to take off. Azan thinks about playing it but then tucks his bat close to his body to let it through.

3 Overs10.2 Score62 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Tayyab Arif, Not in control but safe. A well-directed short ball at 137.3 kph, getting it high around the right shoulder. Arif looks to take the short ball on with the pull. He is hurried and gets it high on the bat. Spoons it beyond mid-wicket in no man's land as the batters pick up three, with the ball rolling to the deep.

2 Overs9.4 Score59 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, Fuller in length, on off and a hint of an away shape. Awais gets forward and just punches it to the left of deep point for a couple of runs.

4 Overs9.2 Score57 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, FOUR! Class written all over it. Width offered by Madushanka, on a back of a length. No movement off the deck. Azan presses up on his toes and stands tall to punch it past point for a boundary. He holds the pose as well for the cameras.

0 Overs8.6 Score53 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Tayyab Arif, End of a testing over from Kumara. At 138 kph, nipping back in again, on a nagging length, on off. Arif is hurried and squeezes out an inside edge onto the pads.

4 Overs8.5 Score53 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Tayyab Arif, FOUR! Unlucky for Lahiru Kumara. Another one from Kumara that nips back in off a good length, outside the off stump. Tayyab presses forward to defend but is undone by the seam movement. Gets an inside edge that sneaks past the off stump and the keeper stands no chance. The 50 is up for Pakistan.

0 Overs8.4 Score49 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Tayyab Arif, Oh, that could have gone anywhere. Nip-backer by Kumara, slightly fuller, around off. Arif gets a big stride in for the block but ekes out an inside edge onto the pads. It pops up but lands well in front of the bowler.

4 Overs8.3 Score49 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Tayyab Arif, FOUR! Sumptuous shot. This guy can bat. Kumara delivers it on a back of a length, around off. Arif lets the ball come on and sets himself up on the back foot. He stands tall on top of the bounce and with a high elbow, he punches it past the diving point fielder.

0 Overs8.1 Score45 - 0 Lahiru Kumara to Tayyab Arif, A loud shout for LBW, but that looked high. Good start from Lahiru Kumara. This jags back in sharply with a bit of extra bounce, on a back of a length, on off and middle. Arif presses back to deal with it but is beaten past the inside edge and gets hit high on the back thigh.

4 Overs7.6 Score45 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, FOUR! Not convincing, but they all count. Hooping back into the left-hander, on the fuller side. Awais' feet go nowhere as he pushes at the ball. It takes the inner half and skips across the turf, beating the square leg fielder to his left.

0 Overs7.4 Score41 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, Fuller in length, keeping the stumps in play. Awais looks to keep it out from the crease. Gets it off the outer half to gully.

4 Overs7.3 Score41 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, FOUR! Flayed away. On the shorter side, it is not all that wide but enough for Awais to work with. He presses up on his toes to ride the bounce and cuts it fiercely to the left of the diving gully fielder.

6 Overs6.6 Score37 - 0 Asitha Fernando to Tayyab Arif, SIX! All the way! Fernando bangs it in short, on middle. It comes at shoulder height. Arif is quick to swivel and takes on the man at long leg with the hook. He gets more off a top edge but clears the fence to pick up his first six.

0 Overs6.4 Score31 - 0 Asitha Fernando to Tayyab Arif, Pitches it up, on off. Tayyab transfers his weight onto the front foot and plays a confident drive but can't get it past mid off.

2 Overs6.3 Score31 - 0 Asitha Fernando to Tayyab Arif, Drifts onto the pads, on a length. Arif stays balanced at the crease and plays the flick to the right of mid on. The ball does not have enough legs to reach the fence and it is hauled in. Two runs taken.

0 Overs5.3 Score25 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, On a back of a length, but down leg. Azan pivots to shovel it behind square on the leg side but is tucked up for room and is beaten for pace.

4 Overs5.2 Score25 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, FOUR! Creamed away! Madushanka errs in his length, as this is a real half-volley, no movement through the air, on off. Azan gets his hands through the line and drives it through covers for a four.

0 Overs5.1 Score21 - 0 Dilshan Madushanka to Azan Awais, Full and a little bit of an away shape, on the off stump. Awais' head falls over slightly to the off side, but he manages to block it off.

0 Overs4.6 Score21 - 0 Asitha Fernando to Tayyab Arif, Drags the length back but this is down leg. Tayyab fails to help it away.

4 Overs4.5 Score21 - 0 Asitha Fernando to Tayyab Arif, FOUR! A shot of high class. Fernando pushes the length up, on off. This is not a half-volley by any means. Arif presses onto the front foot and plays a punchy drive through covers for a boundary.