Pakistan will go head-to-head with Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the three-match series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday, October 9.
Pakistan, led by Sahibzada Farhan, enters this three-match T20I series after a silver medal finish in the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka settled for the bronze medal after defeating Bangladesh earlier this month in the same event.
PAK vs SL, T20I Series 2026, Match 1, Match Details
Match: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, T20I Series 2026, Match 1
Time & Date: 8:30 PM IST, Friday, October 9
Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
PAK vs SL, T20I Series 2026, Match 1 Probable XIs
Pakistan
Maaz Sadaqat, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Khwaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Arafat Minhas, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Abrar Ahmed
Sri Lanka
Kusal Mendis (c), Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Sahan Arachchige, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Eshan Malinga, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara
PAK vs SL, T20I Series 2026, Match 1 Pitch Report
With the average first-inning score across the last three T20Is at this venue being 148, we can expect a good contest between bat and ball. It’s wise to bowl first after winning the toss on this surface, considering the dew factor.
PAK vs SL, T20I Series 2026, Match 1 Top Picks
Dasun Shanaka
Dasun Shanaka, the batting all-rounder, has scored 215 runs in his last eight T20I outings at a strike rate of 169.29.
Hasan Nawaz
Pakistan middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz is entering this contest on the back of a 96-run knock against India in the Asian Games 2026 gold medal clash.
PAK vs SL, T20I Series 2026, Match 1 Captain picks
Saim Ayub
Pakistan all-rounder Saim Ayub has scored 215 runs and scalped 10 wickets in his last eight T20I outings.
Sahibzada Farhan
Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has scored 394 runs in his last nine T20Is at an average of 56.29 and a strike rate of 155.11.
PAK vs SL, T20I Series 2026, Match 1 Head-to-head Dream11 team
Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub (c), Kusal Mendis, Hasan Nawaz, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (vc), Maheesh Theekshana, Abrar Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Razaullah
PAK vs SL, T20I Series 2026, Match 1 Grand League Dream11 team
Sahibzada Farhan (c), Saim Ayub, Kusal Mendis, Hasan Nawaz (vc), Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Abrar Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Naseem Shah
