Asia Cup 2022: Super Four, Match 6 - Predicted Pakistan Playing XI vs Sri Lanka

Pakistan managed to kill two birds with one stone after defeating Afghanistan in a nailbiting thriller as the result dumped Afghanistan along with pre-tournament favorites India out of the Asia Cup. Babar Azam's men will play the final against a spirited Sri Lankan side on Sunday in Dubai.

But before the epic finale, they will square off against the islanders in the final Super 4 clash, which will be a dry run for both the finalists ahead of the big game. While the Pakistani skipper's form remains a concern, they have found a new hero in every game.

The game is a virtual dead rubber, and the Pakistani players, especially the ones who've struggled so far in the continental tournament, would love to get themselves going in the game against Sri Lanka.

Here’s a look at Pakistan's predicted XI against Sri Lanka 

Openers – Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan

Babar Azam will be itching to get some runs under his belt before the final against the same opponents on Sunday. The Pakistani skipper, who has been quiet throughout the tournament, was dismissed for a golden duck against Afghanistan.

Pakistan's rock at the top of the innings, Mohammad Rizwan, is at the peak of his prowess. The wicketkeeper-batter has been an invaluable asset for the Men in Green, especially considering the lean run of skipper Babar. He had a rare poor outing against Afghanistan and will look to p[ut that behind him in the upcoming fixture.

Middle Order – Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali

Fakhar Zaman managed to hold onto his catches against Afghanistan but that was it for the southpaw as he struggled with the bat for the umpteenth time in the competition. He needs to rediscover his form quickly or else would be in contention to miss out on the T20 World Cup spot. 

Iftikhar Ahmed is another batter who is due a big score for Pakistan in the tournament. Although he played a crucial hand in the chase against Afghanistan, he has been far from his best. Meanwhile, Asif Ali has been in the news following the sensational victory against Afghanistan for all the wrong reasons. The big-hitting batter was involved in an altercation with Afghani pacer Fareed Ahmed after being dismissed in the penultimate over of the match. 

All-rounders – Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz

Khusdil Shah, who was one of the protagonists for the Pakistani team in the game against arch-rivals India, failed to have a similar impact against the Afghans. The hard-hitting all-rounder would want to showcase his batting prowess against Sri Lanka as there won't be pressure on the players.

Shadab Khan has arguably been Pakistan's player of the tournament. He was named the player of the match after his all-around brilliance against Afghanistan. The spinning all-rounder was promoted up the batting order, which proved to be a masterclass as he played a match-winning hand at a crucial moment in the match.

The hero of the clash against India, Mohammad Nawaz, failed to replicate his brilliance with the bat against the Afghans. But the left-arm spinner was on hand to stifle the run-scoring with his impeccable lines and lengths.

Bowlers – Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah

Pakistan's best bowler on the night, Haris Rauf, provided the all-important breakthrough by getting rid of the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the powerplay. The express pacer finished with two wickets to his name, conceding just 26 runs. His experience will be crucial for the Pakistani team going ahead in the tournament.

Mohammad Hasnain has not had the greatest of the tournament so far, but the rapid pacer has been on hand to deliver some crucial blows for the national team. He was in the best seat in the house when the carnage unfolded from the other end in a dramatic final over against Afghanistan.

The man of the hour, the talk of the town, Naseem Shah, did the unthinkable and pulled off a heist for Pakistan, smashingd two consecutive sixes in the final over to seal Pakistan's place in the final. He has been potent with the ball in hand as well, returning with excellent figures of 19/1 against Afghanistan.