Pakistan bowl in tri-series final with Shadab out
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan when they faced each other earlier in this tri-series • Getty Images
Pakistan have won the toss and chosen to field first in the tri-series final in Lahore. Captain Shaheen Afridi said this is partially to the likelihood that the dew that is expected to form later in the evening will hamper the team fielding second.
Both teams made one change. Afridi said that Shadab Khan, the hero of their Sunday win against England, is out through illness. Seam-bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf replaces him.
Sri Lanka meanwhile have strengthened their spin attack, bringing in Maheesh Theekshana for seamer Eshan Malinga, who had been expensive in the last match. They have two spinners and two seamers in the frontline attack for the final, but will need 10 overs from the top seven batters as has been the case through the tri-series.
The hosts are favourites in the final, having won three of their four matches. Their only loss in the tri-series had been to Sri Lanka, on Tuesday. Pakistan had batted first on that occasion.
Pakistan: 1 Maaz Sadaqat, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Saad Baig (wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Hasan Nawaz, 7 Arafat Minhas, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Haris Rauf
Sri Lanka: 1 Kamindu Mendis, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), 4 Pavan Rathnayake, 5 Sahan Arachchige, 6 Janith Liyanage, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Dilshan Madushanka
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