Sri Lanka have won the toss in Rawalpindi and elected to bat first in the 3rd match of the series. The pitch report reveals plenty of cracks, dryness and visible spike marks, making batting first a real challenge. If dew appears later in the evening — as it usually does — conditions may shift in favour of the chasing side.
Pakistan’s stand-in captain Salman Agha said they initially wanted to bat first to put up a strong total and put pressure on Sri Lanka, but now the team is ready to adapt to the changed scenario. He added that Rawalpindi is generally a high-scoring venue and the team has played multiple matches here.
The big news is that Shaheen Shah Afridi is not playing today, and Mohammad Wasim Jr has replaced him in the playing XI. Salman Agha admitted that this is not the typical Pindi pitch, so predicting a good total is difficult, but Pakistan will try to restrict Sri Lanka to as low a score as possible.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have announced a strong lineup featuring Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, and Dasun Shanaka. They are confident of putting up a competitive total on what is usually a batting-friendly ground.
