Pakistan made steady progress against Sri Lanka on day one of the second Test by reaching 57 for one at lunch in Dubai.
Having lost the toss and being sent in to bat, Pakistan cheaply lost opener Ahmed Shehzad before Khurram Manzoor and Mohammad Hafeez helped steady the ship through to the interval and avoid any further setbacks.
Shehzad, who had already been let off the hook when he was dropped by Angelo Mathews at third slip before, was dismissed for just three runs with Nuwan Pradeep trapping the 22-year-old for an lbw.
Sri Lanka nearly took two wickets in two balls as replacement batsman Hafeez edged the very next delivery to second slip, but Mahela Jayawardene blew a tough chance.
Pakistan managed to refrain from giving Sri Lanka any similar opportunities for wickets, as unbeaten pair Hafeez (13) and Manzoor (36) moved their nation past the half-century mark.
The opening match of the three-Test series was drawn.
Matt Cotton
