Pakistan has made a strategic decision to sideline the struggling Fakhar Zaman and instead include Abdullah Shafique in their lineup to face Sri Lanka in the World Cup’s second match. The announcement came from Pakistan’s skipper, Babar Azam, following Sri Lanka’s victory in the toss.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has opted to bat first in this encounter. They’ve made a lineup change, benching Kasun Rajitha and introducing Maheesh Theekshana into their playing XI.
Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, explained their choice to bat first, citing observations of turn in the later stages of recent matches. He emphasized the importance of accurate bowling and variations from his bowlers.
Babar Azam, assessing the conditions, noted that the pitch appears dry and promising. He highlighted the significance of the initial 10 overs in the game. Additionally, he mentioned Pakistan’s favorable track record against Sri Lanka in the World Cup.
Here are the playing XIs for this clash: Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka.
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf
