- Pakistan made four changes for the dead rubber.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi returns to the XI.
- Pakistan have already sealed the ODI series 2-0.
Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI to be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, back in the playing XI after being rested, said the decision to bowl first was based on the surface and conditions of the match. He said Pakistan made four changes for the dead rubber.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka stand-in captain Kusal Mendis, who replaces the ill Charith Asalanka, said his team also made four changes.
Pakistan, having already sealed the series 2-0 with back-to-back wins, will be aiming for a clean sweep and their second home ODI series win.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will look to end the series on a positive note after losing the first two matches in Rawalpindi.
In the second ODI, star batter Babar Azam marked the end of his long century drought with a towering ton that took Pakistan to a dominant eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.
Set to chase down 289, Pakistan comfortably chased down the target for the loss of just two wickets and 10 balls to spare.
The greenshirts got off to a dominant start to the chase as their opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub put together a strong partnership, scoring 77 runs in just 9.3 overs before the latter fell victim to Dushmantha Chameera.
Saim scored 33 off 25 deliveries, smashing five fours and a six.
Coming out to bat at No. 3, Babar joined Fakhar in the middle, and the experienced duo ensured that Pakistan’s momentum was kept alive by knitting a 100-run stand, which eventually culminated in Chameera’s dismissal by the first batter in the 31st over.
Fakhar scored 78 off 93 deliveries with the help of eight fours and sixes.
Babar Azam, on the other hand, stood firm and ended his two-year international drought before leading Pakistan to the decisive series victory when he scored the winning runs in the second delivery of the penultimate over.
