Pakistan and Sri Lanka will face off in the 8th match of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on October 11th. Historically, Pakistan dominates matches against Sri Lanka, having won all seven World Cup meetings between the two nations.
Pakistan is riding high after beating the Netherlands convincingly in their first match. Their batting led by Rizwan and Shakeel along with bowling spearheaded by Rauf and Hasan Ali were clinical. Sri Lanka lost their opener heavily to South Africa, with their bowling proving ineffective.
Both teams will be eager to get a win under their belt in this clash. Pakistan will want to maintain momentum, while Sri Lanka needs to bounce back quickly. Pakistan hold the edge with a superior pace attack and unbeaten World Cup record against the Lankans. But Sri Lanka has the talent to upset any side on their day.
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Overview
Pakistan has a settled line-up with in-form openers Rizwan and Babar Azam looking to lay a platform. Shakeel’s emergence provides solidity in the middle order alongside the power-hitting of Khushdil Shah and Asif Ali.
Their bowling possesses both depth and variety with the pace of Afridi, Rauf and Hasan complementing spinners like Shadab and Nawaz. All bowlers performed impressively against the Dutch, highlighting Pakistan’s balance.
Pakistan will hope their openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq regain form. But overall, they have hit their stride nicely and seem ready to mount a strong World Cup challenge.
Overview
Sri Lanka possesses a dynamic batting unit led by Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka and the veteran opener Kusal Perera. Asalanka, Dhananjaya and skipper Shanaka provide more firepower. But they struggled against South Africa’s spinners, crumbling to 83 all out.
Their bowling is over-reliant on the raw pace of Lahiru Kumara and Dushmantha Chameera. Spinners like Maheesh Theekshana lack experience at this level. Their attack looked toothless against the Proteas, leaking over 300 runs.
Sri Lanka must improve rapidly in all departments to challenge the top teams. But with match-winners like Mendis, Nissanka and Kumara, they have enough talent to beat anyone on their day if they click together.
vs. Starting XI
Pakistan predicted Starting 11:
- Imam-ul-Haq,
- Fakhar Zaman,
- Babar Azam (c),
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk),
- Saud Shakeel,
- Iftikhar Ahmed,
- Shadab Khan,
- Mohammad Nawaz,
- Hasan Ali,
- Shaheen Afridi,
- Haris Rauf
Sri Lanka predicted Starting 11:
- Dasun Shanaka (c),
- Kusal Perera,
- Pathum Nissanka,
- Sadeera Samarawickrama,
- Charith Asalanka,
- Dhananjaya de Silva,
- Kusal Mendis (wk),
- Dunith Wellalage,
- Matheesha Pathirana,
- Dilshan Madushanka,
- Kasun Rajitha /Lahiru Kumara.
Pakistan should field the same XI that thumped Netherlands. Their balanced combination means no changes are required.
Sri Lanka may consider drafting Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s power-hitting in the middle order in place of Sadeera Samarawickrama. Bowlers like Madushanka and Rajitha could make way for Asitha Fernando and Jeffrey Vandersay after struggling against South Africa. But major changes seem unlikely.
See the confirmed starting lineups below an hour before the match starts.
vs. Head-to-Head
Pakistan completely dominates Sri Lanka in Cricket World Cup meetings, having won all seven ODIs between the two sides. Their last World Cup clash was in the 2019 group stage when Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka by 67 runs.
Overall, Pakistan edges Sri Lanka in head-to-head ODIs with a 73-59 win-loss record. They also lead 56-26 in matches on neutral venues like UAE and England. Their most recent meeting was in the 2022 Asia Cup when Sri Lanka snatched a last-over win on DLS method.
Given Pakistan’s superior pace bowling and unbeaten World Cup record against them, Sri Lanka faces a stern test. But the Lankans have the X-factor players to take down any top side on their day if they click in unison. This adds an element of unpredictability to the contest.
Weather & Pitch Report
The match will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in hot and humid Hyderabad. Temperatures will likely be around 30-32 deg Celsius during the day.
The pitch is usually an excellent one for batting in ODIs. The average score here is around 270. Earlier this year, over 600 runs were scored in an India-West Indies ODI at this venue.
The true surface has consistent bounce and pace allowing strokeplay. Dew may form in the evening under lights. Spinners can grip the ball early on but get little purchase as the match progresses.
With a fast outfield and short boundaries, big hitting will be encouraged if the batters can get set. Teams will look to chase by containing the opposition and then accelerating with wickets in hand.
Overall, a high-scoring match is on the cards. The side winning the toss may want to bat first and post an imposing total. The pitch should favour the batsmen throughout with something in it for the pacers with the new ball.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Match Prediction
Pakistan will head into this clash as strong favorites considering their recent form and superior head-to-head record against Sri Lanka. Their batting led by Babar and Rizwan looks largely settled while their bowling has real depth and potency.
Sri Lanka were outplayed in their opener and need to find form quickly to challenge a powerful Pakistan unit. Their over-reliance on a few key players remains a concern.
Pakistan’s well-rounded balance coupled with their unbeaten World Cup record against the Lankans tilts the odds sharply in their favor.
Prediction: Pakistan’s in-form batting and bowling should prove too good for Sri Lanka. Expect Pakistan to notch a comfortable 6-wicket victory.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Betting Tip
A sensible bet is to back Pakistan’s top order batters like Babar Azam, Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman to score over 120 combined runs. They form a world-class top three who enjoy batting in home conditions.
With Sri Lanka possessing an inexperienced bowling lineup, this is a good opportunity for Pakistan’s top order to flourish. Consider Rizwan to be Pakistan’s top scorer after his recent prolific form.
For Sri Lanka, Kusal Mendis is worth betting on to score over 45 runs given his natural attacking flair against pace bowling. With Pakistan’s bowling attack not possessing many spin options, Mendis can capitalize.
Given the batting-friendly conditions in Hyderabad, odds of a high scoring match with over 300 total runs seem likely. Bet on at least 16-18 boundaries and 8-10 sixes being hit across both innings.
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If you want to check out our other Cricket World Cup match predictions, you can find them on our site. In the meantime, you can check out how to bet on the Cricket World Cup.
