RAWALPINDI: Pakistan begin a new phase of their T20 cricket on Friday when they face Sri Lanka in the first of a three-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with Sahibzada Farhan taking charge of a side being reshaped with an eye on the next World Cup cycle.
The match will be the first of three T20Is at the same venue, with the remaining games to be played on Oct 11 and 13.
For Farhan, the series marks his first assignment as Pakistan’s full-time T20 captain after leading the national side at the recent Asian Games, where Pakistan won a silver medal after losing to India in the final.
The 30-year-old opener, who has played 48 T20Is, said on Thursday that he was excited about leading Pakistan on home soil and confident that the new combination could produce results.
“This is the first time I am representing my country as a captain. It is a great honour for me,” Farhan told reporters at a pre-series press conference. “There is pressure, but it is not that we will let that pressure sit on our heads.”
He said his experience of leading domestic sides and the Asian Games team had prepared him to handle the demands of captaincy.
Farhan’s elevation is the most visible sign of a wider change in Pakistan’s T20 setup. Established names Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are absent, while Salman Ali Agha has also been removed from the T20 leadership group.
Farhan, however, said the doors remained open for senior players.
“Babar and Rizwan are experienced players and have remained among the world’s best. They can return to the national side anytime,” he said.
“This is the Pakistan team; it doesn’t belong to anyone. Doors are open for everyone.”
Pakistan are expected to adopt a more aggressive approach, with Farhan indicating that the likes of Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz and Maaz Sadaqat would be encouraged to play an attacking brand of cricket.
The squad contains a blend of youth and experience. Fakhar and Shadab Khan provide seniority, while uncapped players Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Randhawa have been included. Naseem Shah is also in line to return to T20I cricket after his last appearance against Sri Lanka in February.
The bowling department offers Pakistan considerable variety. Abrar Ahmed, ranked second in the ICC T20I bowling rankings, is joined by Shadab, Sufiyan Moqim and Arafat Minhas, while Saim can provide additional off-spin. Naseem, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Razaullah and Randhawa make up the pace options.
Khawaja Mohammad Nafay is expected to keep wickets, with Fakhar’s inclusion strengthening the batting alongside Farhan, Saim, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad and Maaz.
Farhan said he expected a capacity crowd in Rawalpindi and urged supporters to turn up to back a side embarking on a new journey.
Sri Lanka are undergoing a similar rebuilding process. Former captain Charith Asalanka has been left out, while premier leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is unavailable because of injury. Hasaranga’s absence is a significant setback for the visitors, but captain Kusal Mendis said Sri Lanka still had a balanced squad and a strong bowling attack.
“Wanindu is still injured and we will miss him, but we have a few other good players who will stand up and perform,” Mendis said.
The 31-year-old, who has played 109 T20Is, said Sri Lanka’s familiarity with Pakistani conditions would help. Several members of the squad have played in the Pakistan Super League, while some were also part of the previous Sri Lankan tour.
“We have a good idea how to play in Pakistan,” Mendis said. “Some of our teammates have already played here, while several players have PSL experience.”
Sri Lanka enter the series seeking a response after losing 3-0 to England. Mendis said the team had identified positives from that campaign, particularly in bowling and fielding, and had trained according to their plans since arriving in Pakistan.
The visitors also have favourable memories of playing Pakistan in T20 cricket. In 2019, Sri Lanka, fielding a second-string side, stunned the then No. 1-ranked Pakistan by completing a 3-0 series sweep in Lahore.
The overall record, however, favours Pakistan. The sides have met 30 times in T20Is, with Pakistan winning 18 and Sri Lanka 12. Of their eight bilateral series, Pakistan have won four, three have been drawn and Sri Lanka’s only series victory came in 2019.
Rawalpindi’s surface is expected to offer encouragement to batsmen, with Mendis describing it as looking like “a little bit batting track”. Pakistan are likely to balance their attack between pace and spin.
With both sides in transition, the three-match series is about more than the immediate results. For Pakistan, it is the first test of a new T20 template under Farhan; for Sri Lanka, it is another opportunity to develop a side capable of competing without some of their established stars.
The opening match, therefore, offers an early indication of whether either team’s rebuilding process is beginning to take shape.
Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026
