PAK vs. SL Live Score: Pakistan is all set to face Sri Lanka in their last Super Four fixture. The clash is crucial for both teams as they are eyeing a spot in the Finals & a win can guarantee them the same. Pakistan & Sri Lanka both have suffered a defeat at the hands of India & will try to bounce back from that when facing each other in this crucial decider clash. While there is an injury scare for Pakistan, the Sri Lankan team has concerns in their batting order which they need to address. Both the teams will aim to produce their A Game when facing each other in this decider clash with Finals place at stake.
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Pakistan Preview
Babar Azam & CO are gearing up for the must-win fixture against Sri Lanka. However, they have many areas of concern that they need to address with the Final spot at stake. In Pakistan’s last fixture against India, they suffered a major setback as their bowlers conceded huge runs & the batting order succumbed to the pressure created by India’s fierce pace attack resulting in a massive 228-run defeat. They will look ahead to bounce back & improve their performances in order to face arch-rivals in the finals.
However, there is an injury scare for Pakistan as Salman Ali Agha, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf sustained injuries during the game against India. As a result, Pakistan had to call upon Zaman Khan and Shahnawaz Dahani as backups. This could be a major setback for Pakistan as Naseem & Haris were the top wicket-takers against Bangladesh in their first Super Four fixture. And their experience would have been a boon for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. Whether the replacements prove their prowess on such a crucial point or Pakistan face disappointment? All will be known today on the pitch of Premadasa Stadium.
In the batting roder, Captain Babar himself needs to play with a cautious approach as scoring is crucial in this clash. The middle order comprising Salman, Iftikhar, and Shadab too should step up & take the onus of scoring runs. The team needs to find their balance & deliver with victory in their mind.
Pakistan Predicted Playing XI:
Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Zaman Khan
Sri Lanka Preview
The Sri Lankan team has displayed a great fightback against India which will be a major positive for them against the injury-hit Pakistan team. Sri lanka suffered their maiden defeat in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 at the hands of India in their last clash. This depicts their astute form & how determined they are to step up & perform in dire conditions. They have registered a huge win in their first Super fours fixture against Bangladesh & will aim to bring the same performance to the table against Pakistan. In Sri Lanka’s clash against Bangladesh, their bowlers were breathing fire as they scalped regular wickets & bowled the opposition for 236 runs to register a comfortable 21-run win.
Sri Lankan bowlers continued their good run against Indians as well & were successful in wrapping India’s innings at 213 runs. However, they failed to deliver with the bat & chase the target of 214 runs. Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinuth Wellalage added 63 runs for the 7th wicket getting Sri Lanka’s run-chase back on track. However, after this partnership ended, Sri lanka lower order couldn’t keep up the momentum and they ended up with a 41-run loss.
In the bowling department. Wellalage who scalped five wickets & Asalanka who supported him well against mighty Indian batters by scalping four wickets will be their biggest bets. However, other bowlers such as Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana will also be crucial with the ball in front of Pakistan.
In the batting order, Kusal Mendis and Samarawickrama are the key batters in the middle order to watch out for. Charith Asalanka is also handy at number 5 and the experienced Dhananjaya de Silva can play a crucial knock lower down the order. Wellalage is their valuable asset in both batting & bowling orders & will continue to be their biggest bet in both departments.
Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XI:
Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana
Pitch & Weather Conditions
The pitch at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is slow in nature with spinners finding great assistance. Spinners will have an upper hand in this fixture as well with little assistance for batters in initial overs. The weather forecast is overcast with chances of thundershowers. Rain can affect this fixture which means both the teams will adjust their approach & strategies accordingly.
Toss: To Bat first
Chasing a target at R Premadasa Stadium poses a formidable challenge for any team. With the pitch’s inherent difficulties in amassing runs, it’s a risky proposition to bank on a successful chase. As such, it’s only natural that batting first will be the preferred choice for captains winning the toss. With the bowlers getting ample assistance from the surface and running hard to come by, setting a competitive total is often the key to success on this ground.
Winning Prediction
It is a must-win fixture for both the teams & the equation is clear win the match & thereby tickets to the finale. Pakistan is reeling with injuries as their top pacers were injured in their last fixture. However, they have a quality attack in place that can trouble Sri Lanka. Batting order inconsistency is a major concern for them which they will look ahead to address in this crucial clash. Coming to Sri Lanka, they are also riding in the same boat as their bowling attack looks perfect but there lies the problem in the batting order. However, with slightly more experience and a more promising batting lineup, Pakistan will have an edge in this match and start as favorites in our match prediction.
Prediction: Pakistan to win
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