Sri Lanka vs Pakistan | 2nd T20I | Dambulla | January 09 | Pre-Match Discussion

[Ball Blazer]

Pakistan secured a comfortable 6-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the 1st T20I of their 2026 tour at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Wednesday. Chasing a modest target set by the hosts, Pakistan’s batters, led by Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, guided the team to a commanding win, with skipper Salman Ali Agha contributing 16 (11) runs.

The victory gives Pakistan an early lead in the three-match T20I series as both teams prepare for the 2nd T20I later at the same venue on January 9th, Friday.

Squads:

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Traveen Mathew, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga.

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[Kianig89]

Team combination is jeopardised, will Agha as #3 in WC. What role will exactly Faheem have in the team ?? , is Usman the best we can offer ???

Points to ponder

 

[Rana]

Team combination is jeopardised, will Agha as #3 in WC. What role will exactly Faheem have in the team ?? , is Usman the best we can offer ???

Points to ponder

You don’t need to ponder on anything. Stop wasting your time and energy.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan should win again.

 

[KingOfPakBreakfast]

Nafay and Usman in the line up and bat first if you win the toss. Please and thank you.

 

[moghul]

Team combination is jeopardised, will Agha as #3 in WC. What role will exactly Faheem have in the team ?? , is Usman the best we can offer ???

Points to ponder

Agree, all three of them should not be in the team , there are better players available to replace them.

 

[BouncerGuy]

So salman sahab once again chose to come ahead of Fakhar, and he might do so in all games as well.

What a fall from grace this is... BTW, what is fakhar's performance?? Why is he undroppable???

No one is talking about him why???

 

[jamie smith fan]

So salman sahab once again chose to come ahead of Fakhar, and he might do so in all games as well.

What a fall from grace this is... BTW, what is fakhar's performance?? Why is he undroppable???

No one is talking about him why???

Yeah but only rizbar can be criticized
Fakhar agha are untouchable even after no performance in T20Is since jurassic period

 

[jamie smith fan]

Farhan
Saim



Shabad
Nawaz
Faheem
Wasim
Mirza
Tariq

The mo of fakhar agha and Usman does not even make it to an associate nation

 

[BouncerGuy]

Yeah but only rizbar can be criticized
Fakhar agha are untouchable even after no performance in T20Is since jurassic period

Wait for excuses now... These guys have developed a habit of supporting mediocrity just because Babar and riz are on the other side... .. @Kianig89

 

[Hitman]

Why isn't Babar playing?

 

[jamie smith fan]

Wait for excuses now... These guys have developed a habit of supporting mediocrity just because Babar and riz are on the other side... .. @Kianig89

It seems to be 2 groups on pp.
One group just criticising rizbar and making tulla players untouchable and the other group seeing rizbar as messiah and criticizing players who put their spot in danger.
Nobody seems to be neutral here.

 

[BouncerGuy]

It seems to be 2 groups on pp.
One group just criticising rizbar and making tulla players untouchable and the other group seeing rizbar as messiah and criticizing players who put their spot in danger.
Nobody seems to be neutral here.

Rizbabar are no messiah for me... Riz actually is batting like tail ender atm so he is seriously out of any chances to make a comeback atm... Babar has his on and off days. But the guys who are in the side are even worse...

What is the point now??

 

[jamie smith fan]

Rizbabar are no messiah for me... Riz actually is batting like tail ender atm so he is seriously out of any chances to make a comeback atm... Babar has his on and off days. But the guys who are in the side are even worse...

What is the point now??

Samad is supposed to be our finished but hasn't played t20Is since that nz tour ia.
Usman is crap but I dont think pak are going for nafay in wc as he would have playing then yesterday.

 

[jamie smith fan]

No doubt saim is my favorite player in pak team but he doesn't even warrant a place in Nepal or usa team on his batting performances this year.
How long will he be given a free hand??
At some point of time he needs to be dropped

 

[BouncerGuy]

No doubt saim is my favorite player in pak team but he doesn't even warrant a place in Nepal or usa team on his batting performances this year.
How long will he be given a free hand??
At some point of time he needs to be dropped

He is getting away only because he is bowling some overs and getting away with it as well... As far as his real role is concerned, he has been a disappointment.

 

[jamie smith fan]

Playing shadab nawaz and faheem at 6 7 and 8 makes ur batting even .
Play an extra batter over one of them.What is the point of having 8 bowling options when u only have 2-3 batters in ur team who are reliable to some extent

 

[jamie smith fan]

He is getting away only because he is bowling some overs and getting away with it as well... As far as his real role is concerned, he has been a disappointment.

No doubt he is a generational talent but his batting performances dont warrant a place in T20Is but disaappointingly he is the best we have and I think he will surely have to play very well for us to have a chance in wc.

 

[BouncerGuy]

No doubt he is a generational talent but his batting performances dont warrant a place in T20Is but disaappointingly he is the best we have and I think he will surely have to play very well for us to have a chance in wc.

Saim and farhan are sure shot at the top... The real issue is Salman, Fakhar, Usman atm.

 

[zahid01]

So salman sahab once again chose to come ahead of Fakhar, and he might do so in all games as well.

What a fall from grace this is... BTW, what is fakhar's performance?? Why is he undroppable???

No one is talking about him why???

Fakhar is not the plsyer he used to be after the world cup Pakistan need to thank him for his service to the country along with agha Babar usman khan and faheem from t20 format and blood in new players