02/28/26 07:41:00
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02/28 07:40 CST Co-host Sri Lanka wins toss, elects to field against Pakistan
in its last T20 World Cup match
Co-host Sri Lanka wins toss, elects to field against Pakistan in its last T20
World Cup match
PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) --- Co-host Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to
field against Pakistan in the last Group 2 game at the T20 World Cup on
Saturday.
Pakistan needs to beat already eliminated Sri Lanka by about 65 runs to qualify
for the semifinals ahead of New Zealand on net run-rate after England pulled
off a dramatic win over the Black Caps on Friday.
Pakistan made wholesale changes to its playing XI and brought in fast bowler
Naseem Shah, aggressive batter Khawaja Nafay and legspinner Abrar Ahmed.
Babar Azam, whose strike rate has been criticized in the shortest format, was
finally dropped; opening batter Saim Ayub was surprisingly left out while fast
bowler Salman Mirza was rested.
Captain Salman Ali Agha said he would have fielded first but it was a "massive
opportunity" for his team to achieve a difficult task and set up a tall target
for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka, which fell to heavy defeats against both England and New Zealand in
the Super Eight, made two changes. Injured Kusal Mendis made way for Kamil
Mishara while Janith Liyanage came in for Dushan Hemantha.
South Africa from Group 1 and England from Group 2 have already qualified for
the semifinals.
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Line-ups:
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (captain), Khawaja Nafay,
Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar
Ahmed, Usman Tariq
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake,
Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage,
Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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