Sri Lanka hope to get out of T20I rut and keep series alive
Pakistan, who're 1-0 up in the three-match series, might go unchanged for the second game
Danyal Rasool
Published: Oct 10, 2026, 12:52 PM
Pakistan played three frontline seamers in the first T20I • AFP/Getty Images
Big picture - Pakistan go in as favourites
During the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Friday, Pakistan demonstrated that 2026 is not quite like 2019. Back then, they had stumbled in pursuit of three Sri Lankan totals in succession - two of them lower than the 182 they gunned down with relative ease two days back, while the third was exactly 182. With that series perhaps fresher in Sri Lanka's mind than it needed to be, Kusal Mendis' side opted, against conventional wisdom, to bat first after winning the toss in Rawalpindi this time, hoping to recreate the magic formula from seven years earlier.
There were a few things we learned from the first game, though. The Rawalpindi surface isn't quite as partial to fingerspin as T20 pitches in the subcontinent have been, which induced the hosts into playing three frontline seamers. Pakistan, who were playing with at least five potential opening batters, appear to have rejigged their batting order by pushing the timeless Fakhar Zaman up top and sending Saim Ayub at No. 5.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, may have learned that while 32-year old Lahiru Udara hasn't played much international cricket, his talent in this format is unmistakable, as is his temperament under pressure. Udara was the lone fighting hand for his side across much of the innings, though that shines more of a light on Sri Lanka's batting order as a whole. With Dunith Wellalage, whose power-hitting abilities are limited, batting at No. 7, the visitors might want to beef up their batting order.
But there's only so much that can be read into a lone T20I at the start of a long tour for Sri Lanka. Pakistan have an opportunity to wrap the series up by winning the second game, also in Rawalpindi, on Sunday, and will be favourites to do so after a dominant performance in the first. The worry for Sri Lanka is that their own indifferent showing comes on the back of three crushing defeats in England. On Sunday, they will try to show this is more of a temporary rut than a fair representation of their current T20I state.
Form guide
Pakistan: WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LWLLL
Sri Lanka: LWLLL
In the spotlight - Naseem and Theekshana
Before playing on Friday, Naseem Shah's last T20I came seven months ago. Even that game was against Sri Lanka, and as Pakistan bowed out of the T20 World Cup, he conceded 36 runs in four overs - exactly what he did in Rawalpindi. But two days back, Naseem had two more wickets to his name in a patchwork of a spell that shed a little more light on where his T20 game currently is. It is representative of a curious year for him as he works his way back after falling foul of the PCB at the PSL, before an injury sidelined him for months.
Naseem has worked his way back with respectable showings at a domestic 50-over tournament and the CPL. There might be hope of a foundation for a good run beginning to take shape, but it remains far too early to say.
Maheesh Theekshana, too, conceded 36 runs in his four overs in the first T20I against Pakistan, but Sri Lanka may want more from the man who has become their lead spinner in Wanindu Hasaranga's injury-enforced absence. More than any specifics about Theekshana's spell, it was his bowling style that caught the eye - a poorly concealed imitation of Sikandar Raza's rather than the more conventionally oriented action that he is recognisable in.
It appeared to have deprived Theekshana of the ability to slow the ball down as required, with Sahibzada Farhan often picking off the quicker pace with relative ease. Whether this remodelled action sticks will be a point of intrigue in this series.
Team news - Will Wellalage be pushed down?
Pakistan captain Farhan said he was thoroughly pleased by the performance in the first T20I. So an unchanged Pakistan side for the second T20I would not be a massive surprise.
Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan (capt), 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Maaz Sadaqat, 4 Hasan Nawaz, 5 Saim Ayub, 6 Khawaja Nafay (wk), 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Imran, 9 Razaullah, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Abrar Ahmed
Wellalage at No. 7 might be a position too high. So Sri Lanka could look to add batting depth to their side by including Sineth Jayawardena instead of Nuwan Thushara, who went for 32 runs in three overs on Friday.
Sri Lanka: 1 Lahiru Udara, 2 Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), 3 Sineth Jayawardena, 4 Kamindu Mendis, 5 Kamil Mishara, 6 Sahan Arachchige, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Eshan Malinga
Pitch and conditions
The extra grass on the surface in Rawalpindi meant it had something in it for the quicker bowlers. With a fresh strip expected for Sunday, that character is expected to hold. Temperatures will remain much the same, with a pleasant evening forecast.
Stats and trivia
- No side has beaten Pakistan five times in T20Is in Pakistan. Sri Lanka, having done so four times, have a chance to become the first team to do so.
- The 29 extras Pakistan conceded on Friday were the most they have ever leaked in a T20I. Their previous highest was 20, against Sri Lanka in the group-stage match at the World T20 in 2009.
- Kusal Mendis is 90 runs away from overtaking Pathum Nissanka, who misses this series with injury, as Sri Lanka's leading T20I run-scorer.
Danyal Rasool is Cricinfo's Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
