Match details:
Series/tournament name: Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Date: October 5, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m. IST
Match Preview:
Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in the first T20 International of the three-match series at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Saturday. The home side will enter the contest as firm favourites after clinching the recently-concluded three-match ODI series with a 2-0 score line. In the previous five meetings between both teams in the 20-over format, it is clear advantage for the Men in Green who have won on each of the previous five occasions.
Weather report:
The weather is expected to stay fine throughout the day and therefore, the match should take place as per schedule.
Pitch report:
Gaddafi Stadium is famous for its batting-friendly pitch as an average first innings score at the venue in a T20I is 180. Therefore, fans should expect a lot of runs on Saturday as well.
Injuries and replacements:
No known injuries yet.
Probable Playing XI:
Pakistan:
In the batting department, the home side will be relying on the likes of opener Fakhar Zaman, in-form Babar Azam and Haris Sohail to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain and Mohammad Amir to produce timely breakthroughs.
Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (C & WK), Umar Akmal, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad
Match details:
Series/tournament name: Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Date: October 5, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m. IST
Match Preview:
Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in the first T20 International of the three-match series at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Saturday. The home side will enter the contest as firm favourites after clinching the recently-concluded three-match ODI series with a 2-0 score line. In the previous five meetings between both teams in the 20-over format, it is clear advantage for the Men in Green who have won on each of the previous five occasions.
Weather report:
The weather is expected to stay fine throughout the day and therefore, the match should take place as per schedule.
Pitch report:
Gaddafi Stadium is famous for its batting-friendly pitch as an average first innings score at the venue in a T20I is 180. Therefore, fans should expect a lot of runs on Saturday as well.
Injuries and replacements:
No known injuries yet.
Probable Playing XI:
Pakistan:
In the batting department, the home side will be relying on the likes of opener Fakhar Zaman, in-form Babar Azam and Haris Sohail to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain and Mohammad Amir to produce timely breakthroughs.
Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (C & WK), Umar Akmal, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain
Sri Lanka:
In the batting department, the visitors will be relying on the likes of in-form Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando and captain Dasun Shanaka, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara and Isuru Udana to produce timely breakthroughs.
Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama (WK), Shehan Jayasuriya, Angelo Perera, Dasun Shanaka (C), Isuru Udana, Lahiru Kumara, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep
Top picks:
Wicketkeeper: Sarfraz Ahmed (9 Cr)
Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed is under scrutiny, not because of his captaincy or team results but because of his own performances. In the recently concluded ODI series, the wicketkeeper-batsman had two below-par outings with the bat and therefore, this T20I series might prove to be a make or break for the 32-year-old's future in the playing XI.
All-rounder: Imad Wasim (9 Cr)
Imad Wasim is one of the leading all-rounders in the shortest format of the game, mostly because of his heroics with the ball. The left-arm spinner has 39 wickets to his name in 35 T20Is at a strike-rate of 20 and with an impressive economy-rate of less than six.
Batsman: Fakhar Zaman (9.5 Cr)
Fakhar Zaman's career in the shortest format of the game is less than impressive with an average of just 25.79 and a strike-rate of 138.51. However, the left-hander was in a pretty decent form during the recently concluded ODI series where he scored back-to-back half-centuries for the home side.
Bowler: Nuwan Pradeep (9 Cr)
Nuwan Pradeep is the most senior bowler in the current Sri Lanka squad. The right-arm pacer has represented the Islanders in nine T20Is during his career where he has seven wickets to his name at a strike-rate of 22.70 and with an economy-rate of 10.83.
Captaincy options: Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, Dasun Shanaka
Dream XI team:
