Under the roar of the Lahore crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan won the toss and immediately elected to field first in the crucial ODI tri-series final against Sri Lanka on Saturday. As reported by the Express Tribune, captain Shaheen Afridi explained that the decision was influenced by the fact that Sri Lanka batted second in their previous four games.

According to the Express Tribune, Pakistan made a single change to their playing XI, bringing in all-rounder Faheem Ashraf to replace Shadab Khan. Shaheen Afridi stated, as reported by the outlet, that Shadab was not feeling well, prompting the management to go with a bowling attack featuring four pacers.

For Sri Lanka, the team dropped Eshan Malinga and brought in Maheesh Theekshana, marking the first time in the series that Sri Lanka lost the toss, according to the Express Tribune.

Background

According to the Express Tribune, Pakistan headed into this final meeting following an eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in their previous encounter. Sri Lanka subsequently suffered a loss against England in their final league game. Pakistan trained hard for the two days leading up to the final to prepare for the fixture.

Why it matters

The Express Tribune notes that this final is a crunch game where the Green-shirts aim to perform at their best on a big stage, while Sri Lanka seeks to continue their fine form. The report highlights that Pakistan's top order needs to click, and experienced batsmen such as Babar Azam must shoulder responsibility against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack.

The playing XIs for the match include Fakhar Zaman, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Saad Baig, Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Arafat Minhas, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah for Pakistan, as reported by the Express Tribune. Sri Lanka's lineup features Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Janith Liyanage, Sahan Arachchige, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, and Dilshan Madushanka.