Who Will Win Pak vs SL 1st T20?
After being whitewashed 0-5 in the ODI series, Sri Lanka will have resurgence on their mind as they enter the final leg of their tour of UAE and Pakistan. The first game of the three-match T20 international series is set to be played on October 26 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Live action will begin at 8 PM local time.
Pak vs SL 1st T20: Where to watch/Live streaming
TV channels: Sony Six, Ten Sports, Sky Sports
Live streaming: Bet365, Sony LIV
Toss Prediction
There seems to be a toss bias at this venue. Since six of the last eight T20 internationals played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium have been won by the side that has fielded first, the team that wins the toss in this match is more likely to have a bowl first.
Read on for team analysis, betting odds, betting tips and match prediction for Pak vs SL 1st T20...
Pakistan Team News & Playing 11
Team News
Pakistan have recalled pace sensation Mohammad Amir for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. The 16-man squad also includes allrounders Mohammad Hafeez and Amir Yamin who will be making a comeback. Sarfraz Ahmed will be in charge of the team.
Key Players
Babar Azam shone with the bat in the ODI series and he will be the key for Pakistan at the top. He topped the runs charts with 303 runs which included two centuries and a fifty. Shoaib Malik was also impressive and he will be the team's best man in the middle order. Pakistan's bowling will rely mainly on Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan who took 14 and 10 wickets respectively in the series. Sri Lanka will also be wary of fast bowler Usman Khan who claimed a five-fer in just his first 21 balls in the final ODI.
Recent Form
Pakistan have had a good year so far when it comes to the shortest version of the game, winning five out of the seven T20 internationals. They were last seen in T20 action against the World XI at home. It was a three-match series which they won 2-1.
Pakistan Predicted Playing 11
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Sarfraz Ahmed (c/wk), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Rumman Raees/Mohammad Amir, Usman Khan, Hasan Ali
Sri Lanka Team News & Playing 11
Team News
Allrounder Thisara Perera is set to lead Sri Lanka's overhauled squad as regular skipper Upul Tharanga has withdrawn
himself from the T20I series. Akila Dananjaya, Niroshan Dickwella, Lasith Malinga and Suranga Lakmal are the others to be
unavailable. Batsman Danushka Gunathilaka has completed his suspension and is a part of the 16-member squad.
Key Players
Sri Lanka's batting will depend largely on Danushka Gunathilaka and Dilshan Munaweera. Thisara Perera is another
vital cog in this inexperienced batting lineup. The skipper can be highly destructive in T20 format and he will be the one to watch
out for down the order. Sri Lanka will also have high expectations from him when it comes to bowling. Pace bowler Lahiru
Gamage took the most wickets for the team in the ODI series - seven from four matches - and he will be the key with the new
ball.
Recent Form
Sri Lanka have so far played ten T20Is this year out of which they have won six and lost four. However in their previous
four encounters, they have managed to win just once. They played their most recent T20I at home against India in which they
faced a seven-wicket defeat.
Sri Lanka Predicted Playing 11
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Thisara Perera (c), Dilshan Munaweera, Ashan Priyanjan, Dasun Shanaka, Seekkuge Prasanna, Isuru Udana,
Danushka Gunathilaka, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Lahiru Gamage, Vishwa Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama/Mahela
Udawatte
Team Form in Last Five Matches (most recent first)
Pakistan: W L W W L
Sri Lanka: L L W L W
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Head to Head
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have faced each other 15 times in the 20-overs format with the former leading the scoreline 10-5.
The two teams have met just once in a T20I at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. That game was played in 2011 which the hosts went
on to win by five wickets.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st T20 Betting Odds
Pakistan are heavy favorites amongst the bookmakers to win the opening encounter of the T20I series at short odds of
1.30 on Bet365. The hosts put up clinical performances throughout the ODIs
and never really allowed Sri Lanka to dictate terms at any stage. The visitors are not at their full-strength and their T20 squad
comprises mainly newcomers and fringe players. Sri Lanka are short on self-belief and they are the obvious underdogs for this
game at odds of 3.50 on Bet365.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st T20 Prediction
Pakistan will carry an enormous edge heading into the T20I series after having routed Sri Lanka 5-0 in the ODI series. Sri
Lanka have been struggling with both their batting and bowling since the beginning of the limited-overs leg of their tour. 209 was
the highest total they could manage in the ODI series which clearly shows how dismal they were with the bat. Now to make
matters worse, most of their frontline players have withdrawn themselves from the series leaving the team highly depleted.
Pakistan are growing in confidence and we feel they are better placed to beat this inexperienced Sri Lankan side in this match.
Final Verdict: Back Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka in the first T20I at 1.30 with Bet365.
Oct 26, 2017
21:30 IST / 16:00 GMT
Sheikh Zayed Stadium - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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