COLOMBO: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday, announced Pakistan’s Playing XI for their final Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s fixture against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan team made five changes to the side which suffered a massive 228-run loss against arch-rivals India on Monday.
Injured pacers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah are replaced by Mohammad Wasim Jr and Zaman Khan, whereas, opening batter Fakhar Zaman and Salman Ali Agha are replaced by Mohammad Haris and Saud Shakeel. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz also returns in place of Faheem Ashraf, after missing out previous two Super 4 games.
Our playing XI for the #PAKvSL match 🇵🇰#AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/lhT5Vl8RtX
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 13, 2023
The Playing XI features Pakistan captain Babar Azam, his deputy Shadab Khan, Mohammad Haris, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Afridi, and Zaman Khan.
Pace bowler Zaman Khan replaced Naseem Shah in the squad after the latter was ruled of the Asia Cup 2023. Zaman Khan was named as backup pacer along with Shahnawaz Dahani on Monday after fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah picked up niggles in the match against India.
Pakistan will play their last Super 4 match tomorrow against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
This match will serve as a virtual semi-final, as the winner of this contest will face India in the final of Asia Cup 2023.
Notably, if the all-important clash between Pakistan and Sri Lanka gets washed out then Sri Lanka will join India in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 due to a superior net run rate.