Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 2019: 3-match T20I series – Statistical Preview

After a 2-0 win in the 3-match ODI series, Pakistan are now set for the 3-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, a format in which they are ranked No.1. They looked unbeatable in the shorter format starting from their early exit in the 2016 WT20. However, this year, their series winning streak came to an end when they lost back to back close matches in South Africa.

Pakistan will now be looking to replicate their success in this format which they put up in yesteryears. Sri Lanka, a team with youngsters from the domestic circuit, has struggled of late in this format and will be hoping to improve that record.

All the key stats and numbers ahead of the 3-match T20I series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka:

1 – Sri Lanka managed to win only one of their last eight T20I matches they played in the last one year. They lost six matches in this span and another game ended in a Tie which they lost in Super over. Their lone win came in their recent most match against New Zealand by 37 runs where Lasith Malinga took four wickets in four balls.

1-3 – Pakistan lost three out of four T20I matches they played in 2019 including two while chasing a target. They won 17 out of the 19 T20Is they played in 2018 and both the losses came while batting only.

6 – Sri Lanka has lost all the six T20I matches they played against Pakistan since the start of 2015. Last time Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan in a T20I game was way back in 2013.

9-1 – Pakistan has a win-loss record of 9-1 in the T20I format in Pakistan. They have played ten T20Is at home till day and won as many as nine of them. Their only defeat came against World XI in the 2017 Independence Cup hosted by Lahore. Their record in Lahore reads 5-1 where all the three matches of this T20I are played.

18 – In the three T20Is against Sri Lanka, Babar Azam managed to score only 36 runs at an average of 18. Babar has 50+ batting average against the six other teams he faced in the T20I format.

1230 – Babar Azam has scored 1230 runs in the Twenty20 format this year; the 2nd most by any player behind AB de Villiers’ 1255. Babar scored those runs from 29 innings at an average of 45.55 with two hundreds and nine fifties.