Pakistan vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2023: Nawaz Dismisses Dhananjaya, SL Stands 5 Down

Hyderabad: In the World Cup clash held in Hyderabad, Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan on Tuesday. Both teams made a single change to their lineups, with Abdullah Shafique replacing Fakhar Zaman in the Pakistani team, while Maheesh Theekshana replaced Kasun Rajith in the Sri Lankan team.

Pakistan had previously defeated the Netherlands by 81 runs in their tournament opening match, which took place at the same venue. As a result, they currently occupy the third spot in the points table, with a Net Run Rate of +1.620.

In another World Cup fixture, New Zealand secured their second consecutive victory by defeating the Netherlands, following their dominant win over the defending champions in the opening game. They currently lead the points table.

During the match, Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka established an impressive partnership, accumulating 102 runs for Sri Lanka’s second wicket. The breakthrough finally came when Shadab Khan dismissed Nissanka, who had contributed 51 runs. Mendis continued to shine, achieving his third ODI century in just 65 balls. He eventually departed after scoring 122 runs from 77 balls, with Hasan Ali securing back-to-back wickets for Pakistan.

Pakistan has had a history of facing challenges from Sri Lanka in crucial games, particularly in the Asia Cup. Sri Lanka eliminated Pakistan from the tournament in a virtual semi-final, leading to a one-sided final against India. Last year, Dasun Shanaka’s team defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, clinching their sixth title.

However, in ODI World Cup matches, Pakistan holds a perfect record against Sri Lanka, with a 7-0 record. The only exception was in the previous edition when their encounter was abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.