Pakistan are up against Sri Lanka in the third match of the T20I Tri-Nation series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday (November 22).
Pakistan comes into the game with confidence after defeating Zimbabwe,
while Sri Lanka arrives on the back of a heavy loss to Zimbabwe and will be eager to bounce back. The pitch at Rawalpindi is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball, with scores in the first innings averaging around 155, and teams preferably bowling first to capitalize on conditions.
Pakistan's key players like Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Nawaz will be pivotal, especially with the spinners looking to contain Sri Lanka's batsmen. Sri Lanka will rely on their captain Dasun Shanaka, top batsmen Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, and the spin duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana to challenge the home side. Historically, Pakistan leads the T20I head-to-head record with 14 wins out of 24 matches against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka Squads
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Agha (c), Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Usman Tariq, Abdul Samad
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Nuwan Thushara, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Pavan Rathnayake, Dushan Hemantha
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Prediction
Pakistan are favored to win the match against Sri Lanka in the T20I Tri-Nation series at Rawalpindi. Pakistan enters the game with strong momentum after a convincing win against Zimbabwe and boasts a powerful batting lineup including Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, and impactful all-rounders like Mohammad Nawaz. Their bowling, led by Shaheen Afridi and supported by effective spinners, is expected to challenge Sri Lanka's batting order.
Sri Lanka, struggling with a recent heavy defeat to Zimbabwe and the absence of key spinner Wanindu Hasaranga due to injury, will find it tough to counter Pakistan's balanced team. Although anchored by captain Dasun Shanaka and batsmen like Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, their inconsistent form and less effective bowling make them underdogs in this encounter.
