After the first match, both teams find themselves in a tough position. Pakistan is starting with confidence after a victory, while Sri Lanka’s team is disappointed by a big loss. The Pakistani team, led by Dasun Shanaka, not only lost to South Africa but also conceded the highest total in World Cup history, with bowlers giving away 428 runs.
In the upcoming match, Sri Lanka is set to face Pakistan. However, Pakistan’s cricket director, Mickey Arthur, who was once Sri Lanka’s coach not too long ago, knows a lot about the majority of Sri Lankan players from his time with the team from December 2019 to November 2021. When asked if this knowledge could be an advantage for Pakistan, Arthur responded positively, saying, “Yes, I know about their strengths and weaknesses. It might come in handy when planning against them. Sri Lanka is a challenging team, but to win, we need to play our best.”
Pakistan didn’t have the best start in their first match either. They lost three wickets for just 38 runs before managing to score 286 runs against the Netherlands. The Dutch team, in response, scored 205 runs in 41 overs. Despite the less-than-perfect performance, Arthur was happy with the first win, stating, “Although it wasn’t a very good performance, I enjoyed the first win. When it was needed, our players stepped up.”
Pakistan’s opener, Fakhar Zaman, hasn’t been in great form. He was dismissed for just 12 runs against the Netherlands, and many are calling for his exclusion from the XI. However, Arthur hinted at giving Fakhar another chance against Sri Lanka, saying, “I’m not worried about his form. He’s a good player, just one innings away from a big score.” Arthur also emphasized Fakhar as Pakistan’s only double centurion in ODIs.
