Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first in the one-day tri-series final against Sri Lanka in Lahore on Saturday. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said the chance of dew and his side’s four fast bowlers had shaped the decision.
Shaheen said Pakistan intended to hold Sri Lanka to a modest score. Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis, meanwhile, said his team would aim to post a big total after batting first.
Team changes for the tri-series final
Pakistan made one change to their starting eleven, with Faheem Ashraf coming in for Shadab Khan. According to Shaheen, Shadab was unwell. Sri Lanka also made a single change, bringing in Maheesh Theekshana in place of Eshan Malinga.
Also read: Madushanka takes five as Sri Lanka press for tri-series final
Dew and pitch shape the decisions
Explaining the choice to bowl, Shaheen said the potential effect of dew and the balance of his team had influenced the call. He said Pakistan hoped to dismiss Sri Lanka for a low score and leave themselves a target to chase in the final.
Sri Lanka, for their part, will try to make the most of their chance to bat first and put Pakistan under pressure with a competitive total. Former Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail, who gave the pitch report, described the surface as dry, with consistent pace and bounce expected.
He said fast bowlers would have to work hard, while spinners could receive some help from the track. Conditions were generally expected to favour batters.
Pakistan’s route to the final
Pakistan opened the tri-series with three straight wins, beating Sri Lanka by 37 runs and England by 87 runs. They then edged past England by one wicket in a close contest. Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf were singled out for their roles in the narrow win over England, and the hosts reached the final unbeaten after three matches.
The side suffered a heavy reverse in their final league-stage match against Sri Lanka on October 27, when they were bowled out for 110 in 25.3 overs. Sri Lanka reached the target in 18.1 overs, losing only two wickets to win by eight wickets. Dilshan Madushanka took five wickets for 34 runs, setting up a rematch in the final.
Playing XIs named for the final
Both sides have named their teams for the decider, as listed below.
- Pakistan: Maaz Sadaqat, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.
- Sri Lanka: Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (captain and wicketkeeper), Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
The result will decide the tri-series, with both teams carrying their recent form into the final in Lahore.
