The Asia Cup 2025 Super 4s stage intensifies as Pakistan face Sri Lanka in a crucial must-win encounter at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.
Both sides enter this contest under pressure after suffering defeats in their previous matches -Pakistan falling short against arch-rivals India, while Sri Lanka stumbled against Bangladesh. Pakistan, who finished second in Group A, must win to keep their Asia Cup semifinal hopes alive, while Sri Lanka, unbeaten in the group stage, are determined to bounce back despite struggling historically at this venue where Pakistan enjoys dominance.
For Pakistan, batting strength lies with and Fakhar Zaman, who are tasked with providing solid starts, though middle-order inconsistency remains a major concern. Their bowling will once again rely heavily on pace spearheads Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, expected to exploit Abu Dhabi’s conditions. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, boast a reliable top order led by Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, while captain Charith Asalanka anchors the middle overs. With spin twins Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana capable of tilting the game, Sri Lanka’s hopes rest on avoiding another batting collapse. With semifinals on the line, the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Super 4 match shapes up as one of the tournament’s most decisive and high-stakes encounters.
PAK vs SL, Asia Cup 2025, Super 4: Match Details
- Date and Time: September 23, 8:00 pm IST / 02:30 pm GMT / 06:30 pm local
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
PAK vs SL Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
Matches played: 23 | Pakistan won: 13 | Sri Lanka won: 10
Sheikh Zayed Stadium Pitch Report
The Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi is expected to provide a fair contest between bat and ball. Early in the innings, the pitch offers consistent bounce and carry, allowing batters to play their strokes freely. With a fast outfield on offer, timing the ball well could reward players with boundaries and quick runs in the powerplay.
As the innings progresses and the ball softens, the pitch tends to slow down significantly. This brings spinners into play, with turn and grip expected to challenge batters during the middle overs. Teams will need smart rotation of strike to avoid losing momentum against quality spin attacks.
However, the dew factor in Abu Dhabi is likely to play a big role under lights, giving an advantage to teams batting second. As a result, captain winning the toss is expected to opt for chasing. A score of around 160-170 could be considered competitive, but the chasing side may find conditions easier later in the evening.
Squads
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Salman Mirza, Sufiyan Muqeem, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Nawaz
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Nuwanidu Fernando, Janith Liyanage, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana
PAK vs SL, Today’s match prediction
Case 1:
Pakistan wins the toss and bowls first
Sri Lanka powerplay score: 50-60
Sri Lanka overall score: 160-170
Case 2:
Sri Lanka wins the toss and bowls first
Pakistan powerplay score: 40-50
Pakistan overall score: 150-160
Match result: Team batting second to win the contest.
