Pakistan are 1-0 up in the series after bagging the first game by four wickets. It’s a new team, with newer faces and a new strategy to go full throttle. It is hard to say just how long it lasts before it’s thrown out the window, but for now, Pakistan have put all their hopes in it.
Do Pakistan really have an eye on the 2028 T20 World Cup?
A new top order, comprising Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, and Maaz Sadaqat, did what top-order batters are supposed to do at the top, especially in the powerplay. Farhan had made it clear ahead of the game that the side would look to promote a left-right-handed combination in the opening spots.
This was why Maaz Sadaqat had to come at the first drop, and Fakhar and Farhan had to open. That they were able to score 70 runs in the first six could be taken as evidence that this move worked. But how effective is it for the long run? Especially if Pakistan are eyeing the 2028 T20 World Cup. Fakhar would be 38 by the time that World Cup comes and given his history with injuries, would it be wise to put him at the cornerstone of team selection?
And for all Pakistan’s, and the world’s for that matter, abhorrence of anchors in the shortest format, a batter like Fakhar, who knows when to stabilise the innings and when to accelerate, is undeniably an asset. It’s a cherry on top if such a batter comes in with a decent amount of experience as well. But luckily, Pakistan have plenty of time to think these questions through. For now, all they need is to build enough confidence in their new approach that a few bad results don’t make them question it in its entirety.
Can Sri Lanka take hold of the controllables?
Sri Lanka, if their history is anything to go by, will make sure the task isn’t as straightforward for the hosts in the second T20I. In fact, they are on the verge of tweaking some records against Pakistan, should they avoid losing the series. No other team has defeated Pakistan five times in T20Is in Pakistan. Sri Lanka are the nearest to do so, having beaten them four times already.
They can draw confidence from the fact that it was they who turned Pakistan’s dreams sour in the T20 World Cup, by refusing to lose by enough to boost Pakistan’s NRR. They can also keep in mind the fact that some of their shortcomings in the first T20I weren’t as costly. The most significant of these was Sri Lanka going for a very short batting line-up. They played only four specialist batters, with as many as three all-round options, all of whom failed spectacularly to bump the scorecard.
Weather and Pitch Report
Rawalpindi was a welcome sight for bowlers in the first game, at least at first. This dynamic did shift towards batters as the game progressed, but the rule of thumb would be to bowl first and get a good mix of pacers and spinners to do the job.
Where to Watch
The three-game T20I series can be streamed online on Tapmad, Fancode App, PTV app, ThePapare 1 & 1 HD and Dialog Play App.
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