Pakistan’s home season begins this week as Sri Lanka arrive for a long multi-format tour. First up are three T20 Internationals at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, all night matches.
Schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (PKT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | Friday 9 October | Rawalpindi | 8:00 pm |
| 2nd T20I | Sunday 11 October | Rawalpindi | 8:00 pm |
| 3rd T20I | Tuesday 13 October | Rawalpindi | 8:00 pm |
The rest of the tour
The T20Is are only the opening leg. Sri Lanka then stay on for a one-day triangular series that also includes England, running from 18 to 31 October, followed by a two-Test series starting on 9 November.
Sri Lanka squad
Kusal Mendis returns as captain after missing the England tour with a hamstring injury, taking over from Charith Asalanka, who has not been picked. Opener Pathum Nissanka and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga are both ruled out injured, and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera is included subject to fitness. 21-year-old batter Sineth Jayawardena earns a first T20I call-up.
Squad: Kusal Mendis (c), Kamil Mishara, Sineth Jayawardena, Lahiru Udara, Sahan Arachchige, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera (subject to fitness).
Pakistan: what to watch
- Who returns? The senior players rested for the Asian Games, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and captain Salman Ali Agha, are expected back in contention. Check the PCB’s official announcement for the final squad.
- Asian Games form: Hasan Nawaz’s 96 in the final in Japan makes him hard to ignore, and Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan arrive with fresh match practice.
- Home advantage: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 3–0 in ODIs at Rawalpindi last November and won the T20I tri-series final against them in the same month.
- Sri Lanka’s form: the visitors lost their recent T20I series in England 3–0 and are without two of their best players.
Read up on Pakistan’s key players on our Pakistan Players page. We’ll post a report after every match.