PAK vs SL 2026/27, PAK vs SL 1st T20I Match Preview

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Like tandoori prawns at a Japanese dinner, this T20I sequence is a curious appetiser to the sort of dwelling season that follows for Pakistan. These three T20Is between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi are the one confirmed matches within the format this season, to be adopted by ODIs and Take a look at matches.

Barring the latest Asian Video games, these are Pakistan’s first significant T20Is with a full squad since their lacklustre World Cup marketing campaign in February, and set to be their solely ones shortly. As such, it is troublesome to position them in context or imbue them with a way of goal past a trial run from which some footnotes could be marked for the long run. The squad, an amalgamation of performers from that World Cup and the just lately concluded Asian Video games, the place Pakistan performed two video games, has a whiff of the experimental about it, however then once more, that is maybe what these video games are for.

Sahibzada Farhan’s elevation to the captaincy stands out, rewarded largely for his exhibiting with the bat on the T20 World Cup. Issues about Salman Agha’s suitability as a T20I participant had been raised from the time he turned captain 18 months in the past, and the PCB seem to have cottoned on by now. He has dropped out of the squad altogether, with Pakistan bringing in ever extra attacking gamers in profile, within the hope it interprets to constant match-winning worldwide performances.

Sri Lanka’s T20I calendar is fuller, just lately coming off a white-ball sequence in England, and can observe up their tour of Pakistan with one other in India early subsequent yr. However their T20I aspect stays in an analogous state of flux after crushing defeats in all three video games in England; their stand-in captain that sequence Charith Asalanka doesn’t even make the squad. Kusal Mendis has recovered from the harm that dominated him out in England, and leads the aspect once more.

Nonetheless, Sri Lanka have been dealt a significant blow with Wanindu Hasaranga dominated out for the tour, which made means for Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. He’s amongst a contemporary, youthful faces within the Sri Lankan aspect following stellar home performances, most notably opener Sineth Jayawardena, whose explosive latest knocks with Tamil Union Cricket Membership have caught the selectors’ eye.

However new names in a Sri Lanka touring aspect to Pakistan have not been a historic barrier to success. Most famously, Sri Lanka arrived in Pakistan in 2019 with a second-string aspect when Pakistan have been ranked primary, and had received 11 of their previous 12 T20I sequence. They went on to wipe the ground with Pakistan 3-0. Numerous gamers turned Sri Lanka regulars within the years that adopted, none extra well-known than Hasaranga himself, who was enjoying simply his second T20I sequence.

Like Pakistan, Sri Lanka all the time seem to have sufficient depth to name upon extra expertise, and in a curiously scheduled T20I sequence, each side have gone again to the nicely. However as one of many driest monsoon seasons within the subcontinent offers means, neither will wish to return parched.

Type information

Pakistan LWWLW (final 5 accomplished T20Is, most up-to-date first)
Sri Lanka WLLLL

Within the highlight

Sahibzada Farhan has had an enchanting profession, making his T20I debut in 2018 earlier than being neglected for six years. All that whereas, he constantly racked up runs on the home circuit, solely to get fleeting worldwide alternatives. These fortunes modified dramatically with the Asia Cup final yr, after a uncommon prolonged run within the T20I aspect was capped by his six-hitting prowess in opposition to Jasprit Bumrah, which turned a kind of curious landmark achievement. A phenomenally profitable T20 World Cup adopted, the place he completed as the best run-scorer. With Agha’s fortunes going the opposite means, Farhan has now been catapulted to the T20 captaincy, a notion that was unthinkable 12 months earlier. In spite of everything these years, he has one – and sure just one – shot at constructing a legacy that for years regarded set to go unrealised.

Kusal Mendis seems to have taken on loads of duty on this Sri Lankan aspect, and has simply been saddled with extra after succeeding Dhananjaya de Silva as Take a look at captain. A frequent – if staccato – captain of the ODI aspect, Mendis was absent for Sri Lanka’s dismantling in England, however returns to steer the T20I aspect. In good kind and among the many most skilled gamers, Mendis’ steadying hand shall be welcome for Sri Lanka cricket. Like Pakistan, they may not have loved a profitable World Cup, however Mendis was certainly one of their higher performers with three half-centuries, together with one in an exhilarating win over Australia. This is perhaps a lower-profile event, but it surely doesn’t diminish his worth to this aspect.

Staff information

With a squad tailing the unit Pakistan despatched to the Asian Video games, the hosts are more likely to reward performers at that occasion. Pakistan’s earlier T20Is with a traditional, totally out there squad got here on the largely unsuccessful T20 World Cup earlier this yr.

Pakistan (possible): 1 Sahibzada Farhan (capt), 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Maaz Sadaqat, 4 Fakhar Zaman, 5 Khawaja Nafay (wk), 6 Hasan Nawaz, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Naseem Shah/Razaullah, 10 Salman Mirza, 11 Sufiyan Moqim/Abrar Ahmed

Sri Lanka proceed to sweat over the health of Dushmantha Chameera, which is unlucky for the guests, given he is among the few constants within the Sri Lanka aspect. A T20I line-up is nowhere close to set for a group present process one thing of a transition.

Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Sineth Jayawardena, 2 Lahiru Udara (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Mendis (capt), 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Sahan Arachchige, 7 Dasun Shanaka/Chamindu Wickramasinghe, 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Dushmantha Chameera/Eshan Malinga, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Nuwan Thushara

Pitch and situations

The lengthy summer time has begun giving solution to cooler evenings, and seasonal smog hasn’t fairly set in but, making these near supreme night enjoying situations. Rawalpindi has tended to see excessive scores, even when, with these being the primary worldwide video games this season, situations are one thing of an unknown.

Stats and trivia

The final time Sri Lanka got here to Pakistan for a bilateral T20I sequence, they walked away 3-0 victors. It stays the one time Pakistan have been whitewashed in a T20I sequence in their very own nation.
Whereas T20Is in Pakistan have tended to be high-scoring, video games in opposition to Sri Lanka have bucked that pattern. Pakistan-Sri Lanka T20Is in Pakistan have seen a scoring price of seven.55, by far the bottom. Video games that includes all different sides have produced an economic system price of at the least 8.
Chameera is one wicket away from changing into the third Sri Lankan, after Wanindu Hasaranga and Lasith Malinga, to take 100 T20I wickets.

Danyal Rasool is Cricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000