New Delhi: Pakistan will look to transfer the momentum from their one-day whitewash against Sri Lanka into the three Twenty20 internationals starting in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and ending in Lahore three days later. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Pakistan blanked Sri Lanka 5-0 in the preceding one-day series and start the Twenty20 fixtures as strong favourites as the number two-ranked side, with Sri Lanka a lowly eighth.
If Pakistan sweep the T20 series they will come within a point of first-place New Zealand and could go top if India beat the Black Caps in a three-match series next month.
Aside from winning nine straight ODIs since lifting the Champions Trophy in June, Pakistan have also won nine of their last 11 Twenty20 internationals -- all since Sarfraz Ahmed took over as captain.
Despite Pakistan hosting the Pakistan Super League final in March and three T20 internationals against a World XI -- with players from seven countries -- last month, regular Sri Lanka skipper Upul Tharanga and five other players, as well as coach Nic Pothas refused to travel to Lahore.
That forced Sri Lankan selectors to hand all-rounder Thisara Perera, part of the World XI, the captaincy and choose a new-look side.
But Ahmed said his team will not underestimate Sri Lanka.
Here's everything you need to know about the match:
Date: October 26 (Thursday)
Time: 8 pm local time, 9:30 pm IST, 9 pm Pakistan time
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
TV Listings:
Sony Six, ESPN HD in India
PTV Sports, Ten Sports in Pakistan
SLRC in Sri Lanka
Live streaming:
Sony Liv in India
Daily Pakistan Live in Pakistan
Live scores:
Twitter (ICC Live)
Likely XIs
Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Usman Khan
Sri Lanka: Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Mahela Udawatte, Ashan Priyanjan, Dasun Shanaka, Seekkuge Prasanna, Thisara Perera (capt.), Sachith Pathirana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lahiru Gamage
Squads
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
Sri Lanka: Thisara Perera (capt), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chaturanga de Silva
Match officials:
Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK) and Shozab Raza (PAK)
Tv umpire: Ahmed Shahab (PAK)
ICC match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
(With AFP inputs)
