COLOMBO: Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in the third One-Day International (ODI) at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. The five-match series is leveled by 1-1 each.
PTV Sports will telecast the match live at 02:00 pm as per Pakistan Standard Time (PST).
Since Muhammad Hafeez has been banned by the ICC from bowling for one year after his action was found illegal, Pakistan’s bowling attack has badly been affected and now the Captain Azhar Ali and team management will have to come up with an alternative but effective plan to deal with Sri Lankan batsmen.
“It’s sad for us, but we’ll have to change our plans. We’re looking at a few different team combinations,” Azhar Ali on dealing with Muhammad Hafeez’s bowling ban.
Meanwhile, players and management staff of Pakistani cricket team offered their Eid prayers at a mosque in Colombo on Saturday morning as Muslims around the world are celebrating Eidul Fitr which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramazan.
Earlier in the second ODI at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on July 11, Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by two wickets. While batting first Pakistan had made 287 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs.
In reply, Sri Lanka achieved the target of 288 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 48.1 overs. Their left-handed opener Kusal Perera scored 68 runs out of 25 balls and he was declared man of the match.
In the first ODI played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on July 15, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets.
Pakistan ODI Squad
Azhar Ali (Captain), Sarfraz Ahmed (Wicket Keeper), Ahmed Shehzad, Anwar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Bilal Asif, Ehsan Adil, Imad Wasim, Muhammad Hafeez, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Rizwan, Mukhtar Ahmed, Rahat Ali, Shoaib Malik, Yasir Shah
Sri Lanka ODI Squad
AD Mathews (Captain), LD Chandimal (Wicket Keeper), TM Dilshan, N Pradeep, RAS Lakmal, SL Malinga, SS Pathirana, MDKJ Perera, NLTC Perera, S Prasanna, SMA Priyanjan, SMSM Senanayake, TAM Siriwardana, WU Tharanga, HDRL Thirimanne
