The rivalry kicks back into gear in Dambulla. On Tuesday, January 7, Sri Lanka and Pakistan face off in the first of three T20Is at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. Both teams have a lot to play for, using this series to sharpen up ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which gets underway on February 7. Last time out, Pakistan took home the tri-series title in Rawalpindi, beating Sri Lanka in the final. The hosts haven’t forgotten that—they’re out for payback.
Pakistan showed up without their Big Bash League stars. Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Haris Rauf are all busy in Australia, so they’re sitting this one out. Instead, Salman Ali Agha steps in as captain, and Shadab Khan returns to strengthen the squad. Sahibzada Farhan was the big story in the last series, piling up 191 runs at an average of 47.75. Over on the Sri Lankan side, Dasun Shanaka is back in charge after Charith Asalanka missed out due to illness during the Pakistan tour.
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Match Preview
Lately, Pakistan has had the upper hand in this matchup. They’ve taken 16 of the 27 T20Is against Sri Lanka. In their last five showdowns, Pakistan won three while Sri Lanka grabbed two. Pakistan won the tri-series final by six wickets on November 29, 2025, and beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets earlier in the same tournament.
But Sri Lanka has home advantage now, and their record at Dambulla looks solid—they’ve won eight of their last 12 T20Is at home. The lineup includes proven match-winners like Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kusal Mendis, and Maheesh Theekshana. Still, their batting looked shaky during the tri-series, so they’ll want to fix that.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 1st T20I |
| Date | Tuesday, 7th January, 2026 |
| Time | 7:00 PM IST (1:30 PM GMT / 7:00 PM Local) |
| Venue | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| Series | Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka 2026 (3-match T20I) |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Bowling-friendly surface that aids seamers and spinners |
| Average Score | 160 runs (first innings in T20Is) |
| Favours | New ball assists seamers; spinners dominate middle overs as pitch crumbles |
| Surface | Dry and low bounce; batters need to play cautiously |
| T20I Records | Teams batting first won 6 out of 9 T20Is (66.67%) |
| Weather Impact | Dew expected in the second innings; 65% rain chance |
| Toss Factor | Batting first preferred; teams that set targets have won 66% of games |
Weather Report
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Around 26-28°C |
| Humidity | High (tropical conditions) |
| Wind Speed | Light |
| Rain Chance | 65% (some showers possible) |
| Overall | Possible interruptions; dew factor in the second innings |
Toss Prediction
Dambulla usually gives bowlers something to work with. The new ball helps the seamers, and as the pitch wears down, spinners come into play in the middle overs. Batting first has paid off here—teams have won six out of nine T20Is when setting a target. A score around 160-170 is tough to chase. Dew sometimes creeps in during the second innings, which can make things tricky for the spinners. So, don’t be surprised if the captain who wins the toss chooses to bat first.
Squad Updates
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Traveen Mathew, Eshan Malinga.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Khan (wk), Khawaja Nafay (wk).
Note: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Haris Rauf are playing in the BBL and not in the squad.
Dream11 Team for Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 1st T20I
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Head-to-Head
In short, Pakistan has the edge in head-to-heads with 16 wins to Sri Lanka’s 11 from 27 matches. Their last meeting? The tri-series final in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan won by six wickets. They also grabbed a seven-wicket win earlier in that series. Both teams know what’s at stake, and this clash should be a good one.
Last five matches
- 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
- Sri Lanka won by 23 runs, 11-Sep-2022
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Reason |
|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan (Captain) | 191 runs in tri-series at an average of 47.75; career-best 80* off 45 balls vs SL; first Pakistani to hit 100 sixes in T20s in a calendar year |
| Pathum Nissanka (Vice Captain) | 2345 T20I runs with 1 century and 18 fifties; 98* off 58 balls in tri-series vs Zimbabwe; Sri Lanka’s most consistent batter |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | World-class leg-spinner; wicket-taker in middle overs; can contribute with bat in lower order |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 10 wickets in tri-series at an average of 10.20; lethal left-arm spinner; useful lower-order batsman |
| Kusal Mendis | Experienced wicketkeeper-batsman; aggressive strokeplayer; thrives in home conditions |
| Naseem Shah | Express pace; excellent new-ball bowler; can extract bounce from any surface |
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