ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will look to keep up their winning momentum in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup today, Tuesday, when they lock horns with Sri Lanka in their second match of the showpiece tournament at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have played seven matches against each other in ICC World Cups, with the former maintaining a stellar 7-0 record against the 1996 champions.
Pakistan will head into the match slightly more confident than Sri Lanka after winning their opening World Cup encounter against the Netherlands by 81 runs on Friday. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, lost their opening fixture against South Africa by 102 runs on Saturday.
However, Pakistani all-rounder Muhammad Nawaz said the past would not matter when the two sides take the field against each other.
“They have won important matches against us in the last one year in white-ball cricket, but that is in the past and it should not affect us,” Nawaz told Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Digital. “We will go in with ‘new game, new day’ and positive mindset on Tuesday.”
Sri Lanka have had the advantage over Pakistan of late, beating the 1992 champions in the final of the Asia Cup tournament in 2022. On Sept, 14, the island nation beat Babar Azam’s side in a last-ball thriller to qualify for the Asia Cup 2023 final, ending Pakistan’s hopes of lifting the trophy.
Nawaz said Pakistan were looking for a positive start to the tournament and wanted to carry the winning momentum with them as they face tougher oppositions such as India, Australia and South Africa in the days to come.
“We are hopeful of carrying the momentum that we have gained by beating the Netherlands and finishing the Hyderabad leg with a win,” he said.
India’s batting-friendly pitches have seen bowlers clobbered for sixes and fours throughout the tournament. Nawaz acknowledged bowlers would have to be disciplined but added that spinners may have the advantage as the tournament progresses.
“Most of the venues in India are more batting conducive, but the pitches will offer more turn as the tournament will progress,” he said, adding that Pakistan had tried to adjust to the conditions in India.
“I have gotten confidence from bowling in the last match and I want to build on it so I can deliver my best according to the team’s requirements,” he added.
Teams:
Pakistan (possible) 1 Abdullah Shafique 2 Imam-ul-Haq 3 Babar Azam (capt) 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Iftikhar Ahmed 7 Shadab Khan 8 Mohammad Nawaz 9 Hasan Ali 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi 11 Haris Rauf
Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Pathum Nissanka 2 Kusal Perera 3 Kusal Mendis (wk) 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama 5 Charith Asalanka 6 Dhananjaya de Silva 7 Dasun Shanaka (capt) 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Matheesha Pathirana, 11 Dilshan Madushanka
