Sri Lanka bowl, Pakistan hand debut to Baig

Toss Sri Lanka chose to bowl vs Pakistan

Sri Lanka have won the toss for the fourth successive game on this tour, and opted to bowl first. In the opening contest of the tri-series, Kusal Mendis inserted Pakistan in on a warm sunny day in Pindi. The visitors go in with four seam bowlers, with Sachindu Colombage the specialist legspinner.

Pakistan gave a debut to 19-year-old wicketkeeper Saad Baig. They field an attack comprising captain Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah for the first time in an ODI since the Champions Trophy in 2025.

Seam allrounder Faheem Ashraf is also part of the side, while Arafat Minhas is the spin option. Salman Agha, who was sent home from Pakistan's tour of England, plays an international for the first time since, with left handers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman opening.

Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Saad Baig (wk), 5 Hasan Nawaz, 6 Salman Ali Agha, 7 Minhas Arafat, 8 Faheem Ashraf 9 Shaheen Afridi (capt), 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Naseem Shah

Sri Lanka: 1 Avishka Fernando, 2 Kamindu Mendis, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt), 4 Pavan Rathnayake, 5 Sahan Arachchige, 6 Janith Liyanage, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Sachindu Colombage, 9 Eshan Malinga, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Dilshan Madushanka