3rd T20I: Can Sri Lanka avoid series defeat versus Pakistan?
What's the story
Sri Lanka and Pakistan will be up against each other in the third and final T20I of the series on Sunday. The match will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, with a start time of 7:00pm IST. While the Lankans lost the first match by six wickets, the second game got washed out. Here is the preview of the final encounter.
Match analysis
Pakistan's strong performance in the series opener
Pakistan had a stellar start to the series, with their bowling attack leading the way in the first innings. Sahibzada Farhan's aggressive batting during the powerplay was instrumental in Pakistan's victory. Shadab Khan also made significant contributions with both bat and ball. Despite some concerns over their batting, Pakistan's bowling performance overshadowed those worries.
Game forecast
How will the pitch behave?
The pitch at Rangiri Dambulla is likely to be on the slower side, with assistance increasing as the match progresses. The new ball could provide some assistance for seamers early on, while spin might play a crucial role later in the innings. However, just like the second game, rain can play a part in the series finale as well.
Information
Here's the H2H record
Sri Lanka and Pakistan have met each other 28 times, as per ESPNcricinfo. Pakistan have claimed 17 wins with the Lankans winning 11 games. In Sri Lanka, the Men in Green have won 5 matches (L2) between each other.
XIs
Predicted playing XI for both teams
Sri Lanka (Probable XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara. Pakistan (Probable XI): Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed.
Stats
Here are the key performers
Pathum Nissanka is Sri Lanka's top scorer with 2,357 T20I runs at an average of 31.42 and a strike rate of 126.78. In 10 matches against Pakistan, Wanindu Hasaranga has 19 scalps at 13.52. Salman Mirza has been a revelation for Pakistan, taking 19 T20I wickets at an average of 14.89. Abrar Ahmed has picked 40 wickets from 30 T20Is at 18.12.