The trophy for the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was unveiled on Monday. The unveiling featured Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka ahead of the series opener on Tuesday, November 11.
Pakistan aiming to extend their white-ball winning run against Sri Lanka in the three-match ODI series starting tomorrow at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The second and third ODIs are also scheduled at the same venue on November 13 and 15, with all matches beginning at 2:30 pm and the toss at 2:00 pm local time.
READ: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka ODI Series: H2H, Squads & Where to Watch
Following a strong home campaign against South Africa, where Pakistan clinched both the T20I and ODI series 2-1, the team enters the series with confidence.
Visit Times of Karachi website for the latest news-related content daily
Shaheen Shah Afridi led the side as ODI captain for the first time against South Africa, guiding Pakistan to a memorable series win.
After the ODI series, Pakistan will participate in a tri-nation T20I series featuring Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, running from November 17 to 29 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
According to PCB press release, on the head-to-head record, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have faced each other in 157 ODIs so far, with Pakistan winning 93 and Sri Lanka 59.
One match ended in a tie while four had no result.
Follow Pakistan vs Sri Lanka first ODI live
In Pakistan, the two sides have played 30 ODIs, with Pakistan leading 18-12.
The last bilateral ODI series in Pakistan was in 2019, which Pakistan won 2-0.
Babar Azam has been a standout performer against Sri Lanka.
In 12 ODIs, the right-handed batter has scored 535 runs at an average of 53.50, including three centuries and one half-century, with a highest score of 115 in Karachi during the 2019 series.
Shaheen Shah Afridi said ahead of the series, “The series win against South Africa in Faisalabad was a great boost for our confidence. It was my first series as ODI captain and I was really proud of the way the players responded to different situations and played as a unit. The energy, intent and teamwork were outstanding.”
READ: PCB announces Pakistan white-ball squads for South Africa, Sri Lanka series
“Going into the Sri Lanka series, our focus is to carry that winning momentum forward. We want to build consistency in our performances and make sure that we keep improving as a team in every department,” he added.
“Sri Lanka are a disciplined side and always challenge you with their skills. We will need to play smart cricket, stick to our plans and stay positive. The goal is to keep developing as a team and to continue giving our fans performances they can be proud of,” he further added.
Pakistan ODI squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
The series will be shown live on A-Sports and Ten Sports in Pakistan, and live-streamed on Tapmad and Tamasha.
READ: Pakistan announces squad for ODI, tri-nation series
International viewers can watch via Willow TV (North America), SuperSport (sub-Saharan Africa), Supreme TV and Dialog TV (Sri Lanka), TSports (Bangladesh), and Cricbuzz (Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia).
Former Test captains Aamir Sohail and Waqar Younis will join former Sri Lankan cricketer Russel Arnold and commentator Roshan Abeysinghe in commentary.
Former Pakistan women’s team captain Urooj Mumtaz will also join the team, while Zainab Abbas continues as presenter for the series.
