Pakistan strolled into the second T20I with their tails up after a comfortable six-wicket win at the same ground on January 7. The visitors ran the show in the first game; they knocked Sri Lanka over for just 128, then chased the target without breaking a sweat, and still had 20 balls left in the bank. Now, Sri Lanka’s got no room for error at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Friday evening. Lose again, and the series slips away.
Salman Agha’s squad looked crisp in every department. Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed both grabbed three wickets each, and Shadab Khan, back in the national side, chipped in with two. With the bat, Sahibzada Farhan made things look easy; he hit a smooth 51 off 36 to steer the chase. On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s batting just fell apart under pressure. Only Janith Liyanage showed any real fight, making 40. Dasun Shanaka and his team need to turn things around fast if they want to keep the series alive before the T20 World Cup rolls around.
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Match Preview
Sri Lanka just couldn’t get going in that opener. The top order crumbled, and the middle order never really picked up the pieces. Kamil Mishara, Pathum Nissanka, and Kusal Mendis barely made a dent. Dhananjaya de Silva returned to T20Is but managed only 10 off 10. Their bowling didn’t offer much hope either. Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera gave up 31 and 34 runs in their four overs, and never really threatened.
Pakistan’s spinners, on the other hand, were on point. Shadab Khan, playing his first match for Pakistan since June 2025, made an immediate impact. He trapped Mendis lbw with his third ball, then bowled de Silva with a googly two balls later. Abrar Ahmed kept the pressure on, knocking over Wanindu Hasaranga and Liyanage in back-to-back overs. The pace bowlers finished things off, cleaning up the tail in no time.
Farhan and Saim Ayub kicked off Pakistan’s chase with intent, hammering 59 runs in just under six overs. Ayub fell for 24, but Farhan just kept motoring along. Even when three wickets tumbled around the 100 mark, Pakistan never looked rattled. Shadab wrapped it up with an unbeaten 18 off 12. Now the visitors have a golden chance to wrap up the series on Friday with another strong outing.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 2nd T20I |
| Date | Friday, January 9, 2026 |
| Time | 7:00 PM IST |
| Venue | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| Series | Pakistan in Sri Lanka, 3 T20I Series |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Two-paced surface, balanced contest |
| Average Score | 162.75 runs (teams batting first) |
| Favours | Batters early, spinners later |
| Surface | Hard and dry, good bounce initially |
| Historical Record | Six of nine matches won by teams batting first |
| Key Factor | Dew likely in the second innings; can help chasing teams |
Weather Report
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 22-25°C |
| Humidity | 75-82% |
| Rain Chance | Minimal (5-8%) |
| Sky | Partly cloudy |
| Dew Factor | Expected in the second innings |
Toss Prediction
The toss could matter again. Dambulla usually favors teams batting first. Six out of nine matches here have gone that way, but Pakistan chased easily in the opener. Dew makes bowling second tricky; bowlers struggle to grip the ball as the night goes on. With that in mind, whichever skipper wins the toss might still want to bowl first. Pakistan probably won’t mess with their formula, while Sri Lanka might think about batting first and putting runs on the board to give themselves a chance.
Injury Updates
Sri Lanka: No major injury concerns. The squad remains unchanged from the first match.
Pakistan: All players fit and available.
Dream11 Team SL vs PAK 2nd T20I
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Head-to-Head
Looking at the bigger picture, Pakistan leads the overall T20I head-to-head between these two, 16 wins to Sri Lanka’s 11 in 27 matches. But this is their first T20I meeting at Dambulla. The last time they squared off was in a T20I tri-series final in Rawalpindi in November 2025, where Pakistan came out on top. Sri Lanka will be desperate to even up the series and take it to a decider on January 11.
Last Five Matches
- Pakistan won by 6 wickets (with 20 balls remaining) 07-Jan-2026
- Pakistan won by 6 wickets (with 8 balls remaining) 29-Nov-2025
- Sri Lanka won by 6 runs 27-Nov-2025
- Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with 27 balls remaining) 22-Nov-2025
- Pakistan won by 5 wickets (with 12 balls remaining) 23-Sep-2025
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Reason |
|---|---|
| Shadab Khan | Returned with 2 for 25 in first match; adds batting depth; Pakistan’s key all-rounder |
| Salman Mirza (Captain) | Three wickets in opener; led Pakistan’s pace attack with discipline |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka’s premier spinner; must deliver in must-win match |
| Sahibzada Farhan(vice Captain) | Scored 51 in first match; gave Pakistan strong start |
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