Rawalpindi (Pakistan) (AFP) - Captain Babar Azam and two debutants were among four batters to hit half-centuries as Pakistan reached 281-5 on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Monday.

Opener Tayyab Arif scored an impressive 57 and Mohammad Taha a patient 51 – both playing their first Test – while Azam hit 50, with Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl on what appeared to be a green pitch in Rawalpindi seeming to backfire.

Saud Shakeel was unbeaten on 57 when bad light stopped play 15 minutes before schedule, with Ghazi Ghori seven not out.

Sri Lanka’s decision to go with a pace quartet and without a frontline spinner could also prove costly, with the pitch not offering much to the fast bowlers.

Asitha Fernando was the pick of bowlers with 2-64.

Azam looked in good touch but still failed to score an elusive century, and was dismissed by Dilshan Madushanka after the lunch break.

He hit seven fours in his 58-ball innings.

Azam has now gone 41 innings without a Test century, his last coming against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022.

Salman Agha made 16 before giving Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis his fourth catch of the innings.

Arif said Pakistan has done well under the conditions.

“We have played good and positive cricket considering the conditions,” said Arif. “I have played a lot with some of these players so I was supported well and I am happy on scoring a half century.”

Arif put on a confident 86-run opening stand with Azan Awais (30) as Sri Lanka’s pace bowlers struggled to break through.

The 20-year-old, playing his maiden first-class season, cracked nine boundaries and a six in his impressive 51-ball knock.

Sri Lanka had to wait until the 16th over for a breakthrough, when Milan Rathnayaka had Awais caught behind by Mendis.

Fernando found an edge off Arif’s bat to Mendis, making it 90-2.

Sri Lankan bowling coach Ryan van Niekerk wasn’t happy.

“Probably not satisfied as bowling first and with the seamers we have we should have taken a couple of more wickets,” said Niekerk. “But bowlers pulling it back in the last session was good.”

Allrounder Arafat Minhas and pace bowler Saqib Khan are also making Test debuts for Pakistan.

The second and final Test is in Lahore from November 17.