Pakistan
Sri Lanka
After having played some really close nail-biting matches in the recently concluded Asia Cup 2023, two Asian cricketing giants will be coming up against each other in match 8 of the ongoing ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be playing their second match of the tournament against each other on Tuesday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad.
The match between these two teams is always a close contest, as the teams stack up well against each other and are equal on paper. Pakistan may have better chances of winning this match as well as the tournament than Sri Lanka, but the Lankans can never be ruled out in limited-overs cricket due to their capability of playing together as a team to achieve a difficult target.
A win in this match will give both teams much-needed confidence and momentum, which might help them beat the better teams. The top bookmakers in India have World Cup odds with them.
Mendis is in red-hot form, playing an inning of 150 runs in the warm-up game against Afghanistan.
The betting tip is...
Kusal Mendis to score 49.5+ runs
72 %
28 %
PakistanSri LankaNaseem Shah is going to be a huge miss for the Pakistan cricket team, as during the Asia Cup 2023, he was their best bowler. In the absence of Naseem, the responsibility on the shoulders of Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi has increased.
Babar Azam is once again going to be the team’s captain and the trump card. Pakistan’s chances will largely depend on how their spinners use the Asian conditions to their advantage.
Shadab Khan might as well be Pakistan’s x-factor, whose ten overs will be very crucial, and he can be used as a floater as well in the batting department.
Predicted Lineup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Two big players who could have well been the game changers for them will be missing out on the tournament due to injuries: Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera. The batting department of this Lankan team is looking good, with Nissanka and Mendis at the top, along with players such as Samarawickrama, Asalanka, De Silva, etc. to follow.
Kusal Mendis is predicted to be Lanka’s top run-getter in this upcoming match against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka has two really good spinners, Theekshana and Wellalage, who will be crucial for the team’s chances in this tournament.
Predicted Lineup: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, and Dilshan Madhushanka
Selecting a clear favorite for this match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is a challenging task, as both teams appear evenly matched on paper while sharing similar weaknesses. However, our prediction leans towards Pakistan, primarily due to their formidable fast bowlers and strong finishing abilities.
Though Sri Lanka is expected to put up a spirited fight, Pakistan is anticipated to have the edge. Despite not having played in India for an extended period, Pakistan is well-accustomed to subcontinental conditions, and their hunger to perform is palpable.
Notably, Pakistan's batting lineup has been in stellar form, providing them with a considerable advantage. In light of these factors, we expect Pakistan to secure victory in what promises to be an exciting contest.
