The rain gods were not so merciful on what was proposed to be a historic eve in the history of Cricket at Karachi. The city’s National Stadium was on the brink of ending the drought and hosting its first ODI since a decade. But heavy, unseasonal rains that were lashing out around the region for the past couple of days ensured that not even the coin-toss could take place, let alone the play itself. To make things bleaker, the second ODI was also postponed, nearly 48 hours before its scheduled start, owing to the waterlogged outfield and the fact that there are more rains expected on 29th September. 

That game has now been delayed for a day and is now rescheduled to Monday, 30th September. PCB successfully consulted with SLCB regarding the prevailing situation and it was mutually decided to slighter tinker with the schedule. All three of the ODIs are scheduled to be held in Karachi. 

Pakistani players and fans would have been equally disappointed by the No Result on Friday which also happened to be the first ever No Result caused by excessive showers and a wet outfield. Before this, there have been three occurrences of No Result at the National Stadium but all three were caused by crowd disturbances rather than the weather spoiling the party. 

The currently nourishing generation of Pakistan Cricket would have been itching to experience the ecstasy and breathe into the aura that surrounds an electrified cricketing field. The likes of Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hasnain, Babar Azam and co have not had the privilege of playing loads of games in front of their home audiences. 

A home series like this also gives out opportunities to non-regular players to make a mark for themselves and stand out amongst their fellas. There have been several inductions and removals from the national squad and players like Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan have regained their spots into the team. The time’s perfect for the trio to elevate their stature and get commended for their potentially excellent performances. 

Sarfraz Ahmed has managed to retain his position as the skipper of the team. He will be marshalling his troops at his home ground with Babar Azam as his vice. The questions, however remain as to will Sarfraz bring up drastic changes in the team’s selection and strategies under the era of Misbah?

Pakistan batsman Asif Ali played only two World Cup matches but may get an opportunity in this game. Left-arm seamer Usman Shinwari, who did not feature in the World Cup, could also get a game.

Pakistan’s Possible XI: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 6 Asif Ali, 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Usman Shinwari

Sri Lankan players, similarly, would have been disappointed by the spoilsport that weather played on their tour-commencing match. The Islanders, led by Lahiru Thirimanne, went through an extensive training session before the match. The ten withdrawals from the tour would certainly have scarred the team’s balance but the team management is trying its level best to stick up the most lethal combination from the available resources. 

Sri Lanka’s woes have a lot to do with their brittle batting order that has been immensely unreliable since a while now and was majorly responsible for their extremely below-par campaign in the recently-concluded mega event. Thirimanne, who is the most experienced batsman on the tour, will have to shoulder a lot of responsibility if Sri Lanka are to resist a rejuvenated Pakistani bowling battery. 

Isuru Udana and Nuwan Pradeep will be spearheading the Islanders’ bowling battery due to their superior experience in the international arena. Kusal Mendis remains unavailable for selection due to the leg injury he sustained during the recently concluded T20I series against the Kiwis.

Lakshan Sandakan, who returns to the squad, also happens to be the only specialist spinner in the team and is certain to feature throughout the trip. The left-handed opener, Danushka Gunathilaka, also makes his way back into the team after he was sidelined for a while owing to disciplinary issues. 

Sri Lanka’s Probable XI: 1 Lahiru Thirimanne (capt), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), 5 Oshada Fernando, 6 Shehan Jayasuriya, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Wanindu Hasaranga, 10 Lakshan Sandakan, 11 Nuwan Pradeep