Babar Azam receives a cheque with two different amounts printed.
Pakistan displayed an impressive performance against Sri Lanka in the first Test held in Galle. Led by captain Babar Azam, the team showcased great resilience on a challenging batting pitch, eventually securing a well-deserved four-wicket victory on Day 5. The standout performer of the match was Saud Shakeel, who was awarded the Player of the Match for his exceptional innings of 208*, which significantly contributed to Pakistan’s first-innings lead of 149 runs.
Entering Day 5, Pakistan required just 83 runs to achieve their target of 131 runs, with seven wickets remaining. Despite a pitch that favored spinners, Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis of Sri Lanka were unable to capitalize on the conditions due to a relatively low target. While Pakistan did lose crucial wickets, including that of Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, and Sarfaraz Ahmed, they ultimately sealed the victory with four wickets still in hand.
However, an unexpected incident occurred during the post-match presentation. When Babar Azam went to collect the match winner’s cheque, an error was noticed. The amount of money written in words on the cheque differed from the amount stated in figures. In words, the cheque stated ‘US Dollars Two Thousand Only,’ whereas the numerical amount indicated was US$ 5000.