Pakistan Aims to Continue Dominance in Sri Lanka ODI Series
The Pakistan cricket team is set to build upon its recent white-ball success as it faces Sri Lanka in the opening match of a three-match One-Day International series. The action begins today, Tuesday, at the historic Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Series Schedule and Recent Form
All three matches will be played at the same Rawalpindi venue, with the remaining fixtures scheduled for November 13 and November 15. Each match will begin at 2:30 PM local time, following the toss at 2:00 PM.
This series comes immediately after Pakistan's impressive performance against South Africa at home, where the hosts secured both the ODI and T20I series with 2-1 victories. That series marked Shaheen Shah Afridi's debut as ODI captain, with the left-arm pacer leading from the front and inspiring the team to memorable wins that have significantly boosted squad morale.
Historical Edge and Key Players
Pakistan maintains a strong historical record against Sri Lanka in ODI cricket. Of the 157 matches played between these Asian rivals, Pakistan has won 93 compared to Sri Lanka's 59 victories, with one match tied and four producing no result. On home soil, Pakistan's dominance is even more pronounced with 18 wins in 30 encounters.
The last bilateral ODI series hosted by Pakistan against Sri Lanka occurred in 2019, which the home team won 2-0. Among current players, Babar Azam has been particularly dominant against Sri Lanka, accumulating 535 runs in just 12 ODIs at an impressive average of 53.50, including three centuries. His highest score of 115 came during the 2019 series in Karachi.
Captain's Confidence and Future Plans
Speaking ahead of the first ODI, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi expressed confidence in maintaining the team's winning rhythm. "The series win against South Africa gave us great confidence," he stated. "Our focus now is to carry that momentum forward, build consistency, and keep improving in every department. Sri Lanka are a disciplined side, and we'll need to play smart, positive cricket. The goal is to deliver performances our fans can be proud of."
Following the ODI series, Pakistan will participate in a tri-nation T20I tournament involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, scheduled from November 17 to 29 across Rawalpindi and Lahore.
The commentary panel for the series features cricket experts Aamir Sohail, Waqar Younis, Russel Arnold, Roshan Abeysinghe, and Urooj Mumtaz, with Zainab Abbas returning as presenter.
Pakistan's 15-member 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 (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.
