ICC Cricket World Cup, Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Key battles
Pakistan and Sri Lanka will square off in a crucial 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup clash on October 10 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. The Men in Green will start as favorites against their Asian counterparts. But the duels between some of the players will be crucial in deciding the fate of the match. Here we decode the key battles.
Babar Azam vs Maheesh Theekshana
Babar Azam will be key for Pakistan especially if they lose a wicket early. Similarly, SL will look to unleash Maheesh Theekshana against him. Theekshana has been their most successful bowler this year in ODIs with 33 wickets at 17.45. Babar has fallen to the right-arm off-spinner 24 times in 75 innings.His strike rate against them is 88.62.
Mohammad Rizwan vs Matheesha Pathirana
Mohammad Rizwan will be another stalwart in the Pakistan batting order, and Matheesha Pathirana can be delegated to remove him. In 2023, Rizwan has amassed 696 runs across 17 ODIs at an average of 63.27. He hammered a fifty against Netherlands. Meanwhile, Pathirana has scalped 16 wickets in 11 ODIs since making his debut earlier this year. Pathirana's slingy action may trouble Rizwan.
Kusal Mendis vs Shadab Khan
Kusal Mendis is in sublime form in ODIs this year. He scored a fine fifty against South Africa. He has amassed 675 runs in 23 ODIs this year at 35.52. He has hammered six fifties. Meanwhile, Shadab Khan has claimed 84 ODI wickets at 32.95. Mendis has fallen to leggies 15 times in 38 ODI innings while slamming at a strike rate of 85.93.
A look at the head-to-head record
Pakistan have an unassailable lead over the Lankan Lions in the head-to-head record in ODI cricket. Both teams have played 156 matches against each other, from which Pakistan mustered 92 victories in comparison to SL's 59 wins. One match ended in a tie while four of them ended without a result. SL have lost all their seven previous ODI WC games against Pakistan.
