Pakistan will be up against Sri Lanka in the third of the three-match ODI series. This article provides details about Pakistan’s Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka for the third match of the series.
Pakistan Playing XI vs Sri Lanka- 3rd ODI, Sri Lanka Tour of Pakistan 2025:
Openers: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub
Pakistan would want their top four batters to perform in back-to-back games and replicate the performance that they delivered in the second ODI if the team wants to increase its chances of winning the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka.
The likes of Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan made full use of a combination of good batting conditions, some poor bowling, and slopy fielding from the Sri Lankan fielders in the previous match
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The openers got the team off to a good start in a tricky chase of 289 runs and laid a platform for the incoming batters to capitalize on.
Talking about individual performances of both openers, Ayub played a short but impactful innings of 33 runs, while his partner Fakhar Zaman scored a half-century while riding his luck.
The captain and management would want the duo to keep up the good work and end the series by playing another match-winning innings in the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz
If we talk in detail about the form of the middle order, especially of the batters batting at number three and four, they made up for the poor performance in the first ODI and helped the team seal the series by stitching an unbeaten partnership
Two of the most experienced batters in the current batting lineup, former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, looked in good touch and made sure that they stayed right till the end.
Babar scored a much-needed century across formats after a wait of more than two years, while Rizwan also stroked his way to a crucial half-century.
The hosts would want the top four batters to do more of the same to ensure that the team ends up on the right side of the result in the upcoming game, and would hope to get good support from Salmab Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, and Hussain Talat.
Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
The Men in Green are expected to make a change in the playing XI for the final game of the series, with regular captain Shaheen Afridi returning to the playing XI after missing the previous match
Afridi’s comeback could mean that Mohammad Waseem Jr. might have to make way for him.
The hosts are expected to go into the match with the bowling combination comprising three specialist fast bowlers and two specialist spinners.
Pakistan’s fast bowling department will be handled by Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf.
As far as Pakistan’s spin bowling is concerned, it will be taken care of by Mohamad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed, with assistance from Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha.
