- Pakistan is ready to face Sri Lanka in the opening Test.
- Pakistan competed in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
- Rizwan is expected to be left out for the first match.
Pakistan is ready to face Sri Lanka in the opening Test of their two-match series in Galle, beginning tomorrow.
Today, Babar Azam and his team worked hard during their practice session at the Galle Cricket Stadium in preparation for their first match of the third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.
Prior to the training, Babar and Sri Lanka’s captain Dimuth Karunaratne unveiled the series trophy and held a press conference.
During the press conference, Babar expressed his team’s confidence and anticipation for a successful start to the championship cycle.
Pakistan competed in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka last year. In the first Test, they emerged victorious by a margin of four wickets, while they suffered a defeat by 246 runs in the second Test. Shaheen Shah Afridi, a key fast bowler for the national team, sustained an injury during the previous series in Sri Lanka. However, he will be making his Test debut at the same venue this time around.
Regarding Pakistan’s playing XI, it is anticipated that they will make two changes compared to the team that played the last Test against New Zealand in Karachi. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Nauman Ali are expected to replace Hassan Ali and Mir Hamza, respectively.
It is probable that Sarfaraz Ahmed, who played a crucial innings and scored a century in the previous Test against New Zealand to salvage a draw, will continue as the wicketkeeper in the playing XI. Despite being appointed as the vice-captain, Mohammad Rizwan is expected to be left out for the first match.
Pakistan’s likely XI
Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Agha Salman, Nauman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Babar Azam, currently positioned as the third-ranked Test batsman, has emphasized the team’s approach of proceeding gradually and focusing on one step at a time.
He also commended the performance of Abrar Ahmed, a mysterious spinner, who claimed an impressive tally of 11 wickets in his Test debut against England in Multan in 2022.
“Really excited to be back in red-ball format and all eyes are on the Galle Test as we are prepared and ready for the challenge,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said, adding: “We are taking one step at a time, but we have to be consistent across all formats.
“One of the positives going into the Galle Test is 13 of our players were here 12 months ago. Abrar Ahmed has identified himself as a good option in our combination. I am sure this tour will be a good learning curve for him as we have high hopes from him in this and future series.”
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