Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | 1st ODI | Rawalpindi | November 11 | Pre-Match Discussion

[Ball Blazer]

Fresh from their 2-1 ODI series win against South Africa, Pakistan now turn their focus to Sri Lanka as the two sides meet in the first ODI at Rawalpindi on November 11, 2025. The hosts will look to carry forward their winning momentum, while Sri Lanka, coming off a strong run of four wins in their last five matches, aim to start their Pakistan tour on a high.

Pakistan Squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Agha, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Haseebullah Khan (†), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (†), Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub

Sri Lanka Squad:
Charith Asalanka (c), Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Udara (†), Janith Liyanage, Eshan Malinga, Kusal Mendis (†), Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Pathum Nissanka, Pramod Madushan, Pavan Rathnayake, Sadeera Samarawickrama (†), Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay

 

[pakfan54588]

Much better side than we played against sa .Expecting nisanka,kusal mendis to smash our bowlers .Hopefully they will not prepare spin wicket because sl have quality spinners in hasaranga,theekshana and vandersay

 

[hks222]

Need true batting friendly wickets for ODIs.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Need true batting friendly wickets for ODIs.

Why not go for your strength which is spin tracks i would say pakistan can beat sri lanka even on spin tracks.

 

[CricVet]

Why not go for your strength which is spin tracks i would say pakistan can beat sri lanka even on spin tracks.

Really? Pak is one if the worst teams against spin. SL will be twice as good vs SA on such tracks. Create a balanced pitch vs SL to make a good series.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Really? Pak is one if the worst teams against spin. SL will be twice as good vs SA on such tracks. Create a balanced pitch vs SL to make a good series.

Well didn't pakistan best Sri lanka in sri lanka in spin tracks won that test series 2 nil if you remember that series?

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Well didn't pakistan best Sri lanka in sri lanka in spin tracks won that test series 2 nil if you remember that series?

Really? Pak is one if the worst teams against spin. SL will be twice as good vs SA on such tracks. Create a balanced pitch vs SL to make a good series.

I know its different formats but if you go for flat pitches sri lanka can beat pakistan maybe go for slow turner not huge turner of a pitch

 

[Nabeel23]

Why not go for your strength which is spin tracks i would say pakistan can beat sri lanka even on spin tracks.

No, Sri Lanka will give Pak batsmen all sorts of problems on spinning wickets, you will basically playing to the oppositions strength.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

So what should pakistan make flat pitches to beat sri lanka in pindi tracks?

No, Sri Lanka will give Pak batsmen all sorts of problems on spinning wickets, you will basically playing to the oppositions strength.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Much better team than SA b side. Should be a good contest

 

[Nabeel23]

So what should pakistan make flat pitches to beat sri lanka in pindi tracks?

Yh would prefer flat tracks, ideally would want to see what Pak can do in a high scoring run chase.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Spin pitches might not work against SL

 

[harshjoshi87]

Sri Lanka is at full strength, will be an even contest.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Hasaranga has been a demon against Pakistan. He will be the key player for Pakistan to navigate.

 

[CricVet]

So what should pakistan make flat pitches to beat sri lanka in pindi tracks?

As other suggested - a 300 wicket will make a good contest.

My personal preference has always been a balanced wicket where average of 5.xx/over makes a good contest.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Do they bake the pitches?

 

[Azaad]

Why o why play more of these useless odi formats - t20s are so much more fun

 

[Kianig89]

Hopefully 370 plays 370 , that's the proper cricket

 

[Bhaijaan]

Hopefully will be a good series. Sri Lanka has been a resurgent side for the last 1 year. They must be disappointed at a poor show in Asia Cup. They lost to Bangladesh, Pakistan, India but they made it toughest for India to win and almost chased down 200sh total against us. They’re a better white ball team.

 

[RidiculousMan]

SL will beat Pakistan

 

[hks222]

Why not go for your strength which is spin tracks i would say pakistan can beat sri lanka even on spin tracks.

Hasaranga will eat us

 

[Ab Fan]

Go Lanka Go!

 

[sweep_shot]

I expect SL to put up a better fight than South Africa. SL often do well in Pakistan.

 

[NeVerMind]

Is Hussain Talat in the squad to make everyone else look good? I cannot fathom why he has seen brought back....

 

[Omer2002]

Obviously srilanka will win no question both formata

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Will love to see Abrar vs Hasaranga

 

[CricVet]

Obviously srilanka will win no question both formata

What makes you believe that they will? That is wrist slitting. It might be a pretty even contest between the 2 unpredictable teams.

 

[sweep_shot]

Will love to see Abrar vs Hasaranga

Yup.

Hasaranga vs Abrar 2.0.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Pakistan better be clean sweeping them.

 

[Human786]

Pakistan better be clean sweeping them.

Get Ifti the bestly finisher & that fat keeper Azam in playing 11 & you will smash SL to chota chota pieces
Why so many games in Rawalpindi ?

 

[Kianig89]

Very Bad Hassan Nawaz not in squad, that was his chance to open , team likely will be

Fakhar
Saim
Babar
Riz
Agha
Talat
Nawaz
Faheem
SSA
Rauf
Abrar
============
We won't achieve anything by playing Rauf, Naseem should replace it

 

[Aami]

My team:

Fakhar (I think this might be beginning of the e
Saim
Babar
Salman
???
(Keeper)
Nawaz
Faheem
Afridi
Wasim (for pace and direction)
Abrar

12th Faisal Akram

No place for Rauf, Naseem Shah and Talat

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

More interested in this series than I was in the South Africa one. I think based on current form both sides are on an even kneel. Should be a good contest between two mid-tier teams. Expecting to see plenty of dropped catches, batting collapses and generally sloppy cricket.

 

[hks222]

I hope haseebullah gets a game - feel this is his strongest format and would make a great opening pair with Saim for us.

 

[hamzie]

Very Bad Hassan Nawaz not in squad, that was his chance to open , team likely will be

Fakhar
Saim
Babar
Riz
Agha
Talat
Nawaz
Faheem
SSA
Rauf
Abrar
============
We won't achieve anything by playing Rauf, Naseem should replace it

How is it very bad that a back isn't in the team

 

[hks222]

More interested in this series than I was in the South Africa one. I think based on current form both sides are on an even kneel. Should be a good contest between two mid-tier teams. Expecting to see plenty of dropped catches, batting collapses and generally sloppy cricket.

SL is a solid ODI unit it seems.

In last one year or so - they've beaten India, NZ and Australia at home series.

They probably also beat NZ in NZ although lost series.

So I guess it would be super competitive series.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

SL is a solid ODI unit it seems.

In last one year or so - they've beaten India, NZ and Australia at home series.

They probably also beat NZ in NZ although lost series.

So I guess it would be super competitive series.

Winning on sl pitches is different to winning away. They can win but will not start as favs playing in pak

 

[msb314]

Given the 2027 WC is in SAF - we should cater flat wickets conducive for high scoring games.

 

[Justcrazy]

Make flat pitches , that is where you can catch Lanka.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Mendis, Nissanka, Asalanka - SL depend pretty heavily on these 3 to fire in ODIs.

The rest are unproven in this format, having only performed against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the like.

 

[shah_1]

Pakistan needs a new no 6

Hussain Talat is worst

 

[harshjoshi87]

Asalanka & Nissanka are main batters. They both also get 100's regularly, Nissanka bashes at the top & Asalanka finishes at the back end.

Will be a good contest.

 

[Kianig89]

This triseries should be use to give chance to new players

 

[hks222]

Winning on sl pitches is different to winning away. They can win but will not start as favs playing in pak

Conditions wouldn't be like very off for Sri Lanka.

They have equally good chance here.

 

[Rana]

Make flat pitches , that is where you can catch Lanka.

They will easily chase 350 on roads.

 

[Rana]

Asalanka & Nissanka are main batters. They both also get 100's regularly, Nissanka bashes at the top & Asalanka finishes at the back end.

Will be a good contest.

Nisanka
Kusal
Kamindu

Hasaranga too is like Shahid Afridi.

These guys will bat well against Pakistan

 

[hks222]

Nisanka
Kusal
Kamindu

Hasaranga too is like Shahid Afridi.

These guys will bat well against Pakistan

They have alot of left handers.

Hopefully Agha and Saim can come into play.

 

[Kianig89]

Rawalpindi what will be the wicket like, will it spin or will it be a flat deck with runs to offer, as fans demand is 370 plays 370

 

[Energy]

SL will be a good challenging match-up for Pakistan. Looking forward to the series.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

SL is a solid ODI unit it seems.

In last one year or so - they've beaten India, NZ and Australia at home series.

They probably also beat NZ in NZ although lost series.

So I guess it would be super competitive series.

They have had some good wins at home but in ICC tournaments and matches away from home they get exposed regularly. Only team besides Pakistan that has made batting collapses a national sport. These two teams actually have alot in common.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Pak will start as favs as the match is not in SL

 

[zahid01]

I see closely fought contest Sri Lanka will give a good account of themselves make fair pitches do not go the spin route Sri Lanka will murder us

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Mendis
Nissanka
Mishara/Sadeera
Rathnayake
Asalanka
Kamindu
Janith
Hasaranga
Chameera
Asitha
Malinga

Pretty decent lineup if they can get that 5th and 6th bowlers' quota out of Asalanka, Kamindu and Liyanage

 

[cricfan432]

Most likely srilanka clean sweeps pakistan, we dont have x factor players for flat pitches except fakhar and saim, with fakhar being out of form. On spin pitches srilanka wins, on seam pitches they have better equippied batsmen and bowlers.

 

[Omer2002]

What makes you believe that they will? That is wrist slitting. It might be a pretty even contest between the 2 unpredictable teams.

We shall discuss this after the three games. Pak played a 2nd string South African team. Srilankas hasaranga should be enough for us with his bowling and batting

 

[gazza619]

Make flat pitches , that is where you can catch Lanka.

Our batters generally don’t take advantage of flat surfaces. A pitch which is helpful for bowlers will keep us in the game.