Pakistan batter
The left-hander’s patient approach was on full display throughout the fifth day, as he anchored the Pakistan second innings. Facing 210 deliveries, Shakeel looked set for a century before being bowled by Lahiru Kumara. By the time his innings concluded, Pakistan had reached 284/8, establishing a lead of 272 runs. With the clock running down and the match heading toward a stalemate, both sides agreed to a draw, shaking hands before the close of play.
A rare place in Test history
While his performance was vital to the team's result, the dismissal left Shakeel in an exclusive but bittersweet club. He is the first player since Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene in 2009 to fall between 90 and 99 in both innings of a single Test. Jayawardene achieved the mark against New Zealand in Colombo, scoring 92 and 96.
The list of players to have suffered this fate is short and includes some of the game's most celebrated figures. Australia's Clem Hill was the first to record the feat in 1902, followed by England's Frank Woolley in 1921. West Indies legend Gordon Greenidge achieved the distinction twice, first against Pakistan in 1977 and later against New Zealand in 1980. Shakeel now joins this group as the first Pakistani player to record such a sequence.
Context of the series
The draw marks a significant result for Pakistan in the current
