Pakistan is all set for a face-off with Sri Lanka in the ongoing ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.
Despite an unsteady start, Pakistan managed to secure its first victory in the mega cricket event against the Netherlands. This win comes after a substandard performance in the Asia Cup 2023, where Pakistan faced defeats in both warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia.
Despite recent unimpressive performances, the Green Shirts’ head coach, Grant Bradburn, remains hopeful about the team’s top-order batting. In a press conference ahead of the match against Sri Lanka, Bradburn emphasized the team’s focus on continuous improvement, saying, “We’re becoming confident as a group and as a coaching staff. We’re very keen on critiquing our performance, especially when we win.”
Regarding Pakistan’s preparation for the game against Sri Lanka, Bradburn acknowledged that the islanders had an upper hand in recent white-ball encounters but highlighted the team’s familiarity with the Sri Lankan players. He also mentioned having a “secret weapon” in Mickey Arthur, who has coached Sri Lanka before, providing valuable insights into their batters and bowlers.
Bradburn emphasized team unity, stating that it’s not about individuals anymore; it’s about the collective effort. He highlighted the team’s efforts to achieve clarity on individual roles and responsibilities within the squad.
In their opening match against the Netherlands, the Babar Azam-led team overcame a couple of batting collapses to set a challenging target of 287 and secured an 81-run victory.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka entered the tournament after a demoralizing loss in the Asia Cup finals against a formidable Indian side. Similar to Pakistan, Sri Lanka also faced setbacks in their two warm-up matches against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The Sri Lankan team is missing key performers like Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga.
In their first game against South Africa in Delhi, their bowling struggled as the Proteas posted a record-breaking 428/5 in their 50 overs, ultimately dismissing Dasun Shanaka’s men for 326.
Pakistan aims to secure a win in this clash to gather momentum for their highly-anticipated showdown against India on Saturday, October 14. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka seeks to draw confidence from their recent last-ball victory against Pakistan in the Asia Cup and aims to get their campaign back on track.
