Sri Lanka will face Pakistan in the first match of the Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka 2026 at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla, on Wednesday, January 7. This match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST (7:00 PM local time). Stay tuned with our SL vs PAK prediction, team preview, pitch report, player stats and winner prediction ahead of this exciting match.
This will be the first match of the three-match T20I series, and both teams will look to win this match. These two teams faced each other last year in the final match of the Pakistan T20I Tri-Series, and Pakistan won that match by 6 wickets. But now in this match, there will be a good opportunity for Sri Lanka to win in their home conditions. Their players are also performing well in recent times.
Head-to-Head Record: So far, a total of 27 T20 matches have been played between these two sides, in which Pakistan has won 16 matches while Sri Lanka has won 11. However, in the last five games, Pakistan has performed well and has won 3 games, while Sri Lanka has won two.
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Sri Lanka Preview
The Sri Lankan side is very confident and positive about winning the match in front of their home fans and wants to start the series with a win in the first game. The host has some good batsmen and bowlers who can play a crucial role in this upcoming match against Pakistan.
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis can be the top batters from Sri Lanka in this match. Pathum Nissanka’s recent unbeaten 98-run innings against Zimbabwe will give him confidence. On the other hand, Kusal Mendis is a very consistent batter for Sri Lanka; he has scored 2286 runs in 95 matches with a strike rate of over 130. While Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka can also do well in the batting department.
Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera are key bowlers for Sri Lanka in this match. Maheesh Theekshana’s spin bowling could be a key factor on this pitch. Theekshana has taken 69 wickets in 72 T20i matches. On the other hand, Dushmantha Chameera performed well in the second-last match against Pakistan, where he took 4 wickets. Chameera also has good experience in T20 matches, in which he has taken 77 wickets in 69 T20I matches, which makes him a key player for the host side.
Tip
| Player | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | Over 29.5 Runs | 1.85 |
Pathum Nissanka comes into this match full of confidence after scoring an unbeaten 98 recently. He remains Sri Lanka’s most reliable top-order batter and is well placed to anchor the innings again and cross this mark.
Pakistan Preview
Pakistan has performed brilliantly against SL in the recent past, which gives them confidence in winning the match. When Pakistan faced Sri Lanka last time, they won the match by 6 wickets; it will give more confidence to perform well in this match.
Pakistan also has some good players who can play an important part in winning this match against Sri Lanka. Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub are in good form with their bats. Sahibzada scored 323 runs in the last 10 matches with an average of 35, with a strike rate of 139. At the same time, Saim Ayub scored 240 runs in the last 10 matches with an average of 26.
In the bowling department, Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf are the top bowlers for Pakistan in this series. Mohammad Nawaz has taken 15 wickets in his last 10 matches with an economy of 6.21. While Faheem Ashraf has taken 11 wickets in the last 10 matches with an economy of 8.36.
Tip
| Player | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | Over 27.5 Runs | 1.85 |
Sahibzada Farhan has scored 323 runs in his last 10 matches at a strike rate of 139 and is in good form to provide Pakistan with a strong start.
SL vs PAK Probably Playing XI
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Mathisha Pathirana, Dushmantha Chameera.
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Usman have wickets taking opportunity Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.
SL vs PAK Pitch Report
The pitch at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Sri Lanka, offers a balanced surface. This surface provides a good contest between bat and ball. Early in the match, batters can get an advantage on the surface. However, fast bowlers also have wicket-taking opportunities with the new ball. As the match progresses, the pitch might get slow, so spinners also come into the game, and they can perform well in the middle overs. Spinners may also can affect the match result. Generally, teams that win the toss may choose to bat first at this venue.
The weather on Wednesday at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, Dambulla is expected to be mostly cloudy, around 22°C, with a 10% chance of rain, very high 95% humidity, and light winds near 10 km/h.
Venue T20I Statistics
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 27 |
| Matches won batting first | 12 |
| Matches won bowling first | 15 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 143 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 119 |
| Highest total recorded | 209/5 (20 Ovs) – AFG vs SL |
| Lowest total recorded | 40/10 (19.5 Ovs) – MLYW vs SLW |
| Highest score chased | 180/5 (19.1 Ovs) – WI vs SL |
| Lowest score defended | 108/10 (19.3 Ovs) – NZ vs SL |
SL vs PAK Prediction
Pakistan has performed brilliantly in the recent T20I tournament, which was played in November 2025. In the final match, they beat Sri Lanka. Moreover, if we look at their overall head-to-head record, Pakistan has the upper hand. So they are definitely favourites to win this match.
However, Sri Lanka has the ability to beat any team in its home conditions, and it may definitely want to get an advantage in their home. Apart from this, their players have consistently performed well in their home conditions. In this match, both teams will expect good performance from their players and would like to start this series with a win. But the team that can handle the pressure will definitely win the match.
Our Prediction: Pakistan
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Code: TOPBK
