RAWALPINDI: Pakistan is set to face Sri Lanka in a three-match One-day International series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, following their 2-1 series win over South Africa. The series begins on Tuesday, with the remaining matches scheduled for Thursday and Saturday.
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The previous series marked a strong start for Shaheen Shah Afridi as Pakistan’s new ODI captain, replacing Mohammad Rizwan last month. While the South African side Pakistan defeated was missing key players, Sri Lanka arrives in Rawalpindi with a full-strength squad and impressive recent form, having won six of their last seven ODI series, including victories over India and Australia.
Shaheen shared insights into the captaincy transition during a pre-series press conference. “Rizwan was the only person [from the team] I had a discussion with when I was about to be appointed as captain,” he said. “He decided himself to stake a step back and let me replace him, and that was how the decision was taken.”
Reflecting on his leadership approach, Shaheen emphasized teamwork and responsibility. “Everyone has to take responsibility if you want to improve as a team. It’s not just for Rizwan, Babar, Fakhar, Shaheen, Saim to ensure this. All players should take responsibility,” he said. He also backed players like Rizwan and Babar Azam despite recent struggles in white-ball cricket, noting Rizwan has been Pakistan’s top scorer in ODIs since 2023 and expressing confidence that Babar would deliver a big innings soon.
Shaheen, 25, led Pakistan to their first-ever home ODI series victory over South Africa and stressed that past experiences did not influence his leadership. “I talk to everyone for advice and I am not too egoistic to not talk to the ex-captains because of things that happened in the past,” he added. He also mentioned his focus on long-term goals, including preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka described the upcoming matches as competitive and stressed sticking to basics. “We just want to focus on our basics and see what happens. Pakistan played good cricket in their last series. Our ODI side has been doing really well. It’s about keeping things simple and backing our strengths,” he said.
With a confident Pakistan side and an in-form Sri Lankan team, fans can expect an exciting series that tests both sides’ depth and consistency. Shaheen’s leadership and the players’ ability to rise to the occasion will be key in determining the outcome of this highly anticipated ODI contest.
