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Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 1st T20I Predictions - Farhan to start World Cup warm-ups with big runs

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 06 Jan 2026

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Simon Lewis 06 Jan 2026

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Sahibzada Farhan has scored 80*, 63 and 23 in his last four T20I innings.
Kamil Mishara has scored 38, 27, 29, 22, 76 & 59 runs in his last seven internationals.
Can Pakistan repeat their Tri-Series Final victory over Sri Lanka from November?

Expired

Sahibzada Farhan hit out against South Africa (Getty Images).

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Predictions

Sri Lanka host Pakistan in a three-match T20I series as part of their World Cup preparations. Pakistan have won 14 of their 24 T20Is against Sri Lanka. Pakistan are missing some of their top players who are playing in the Big Bash, but their squad still looks stronger than their hosts.

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Predictions
Head-to-Head
Sri Lanka Form
Pakistan Form
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Team News & Squads

Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan hit 10 boundaries in his 46-ball 65 vs Rangpur Riders.
Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman has scored 69 & 20 in his last 2 innings.
Sri Lanka’s Kamil Mishara top-scored with 59 off 47 balls in the Tri-Series final.
Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka has scored 81, 67 & 56 in his last 6 innings.

Head-to-Head

Pakistan have won three and lost two of their last five T20Is against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Form

After winning back-to-back matches to make it into the Tri-Series Final, Sri Lanka lost to Pakistan by six wickets with eight balls to spare.

Kusal Mendis is Sri Lanka’s star turn with the bat and has scored 25*, 40 and 23 in his last four innings. Kamil Mishara has been in good form with the bat in whiteball internationals, and leading up to this series he has scored 37, 38, 25 & 91 in his last five red-ball innings. Coming into this series Janith Liyanage has scored 56, 107 and 102 and Pavan Rathnayake 98 and 77 in their last four red-ball innings. Pathum Nissanka has scored 2,345 T20I runs.

Wanindu Hasaranga took seven wickets in the Pakistan Tri-Series at an economy rate of 7.05. Eshan Malinga captured 2/54 and 1/16 in his last two T20Is, while Maheesh Theekshana’s four overs in the Tri-Series final cost just 22 runs (econ 5.50), while Dushmantha Chameera took 4/20 against Pakistan in their group match ahead of the final.

Pakistan Form

Pakistan made it four wins from five T20Is when they beat Sri Lanka in the Tri-Series Final in November.

Skipper Salman Agha scored 80 and has taken nine wickets in his last four matches, including figures of 4/40 against WAPD in the President's Cup. Fakhar Zaman has had a month off since scoring 69 against MI Emirates, but has scored 2360 runs in T20Is. Sahibzada Farhan has scored seven half-centuries in 35 T20Is.

Saim Ayub has contributed with bat and ball in his last five matches, taking 1/17, 2/25 and 1/16 and chipping in with 36, 28 and 29. Faheem Ashraf has been in superb form in the Bangladesh Premier League, taking 5/17, 3/43 and 3/18 in his last three matches.

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Team News & Squads

Hosts Sri Lanka had not named their squad as of 24 hours before the start of the match.

Pakistan arrive for their whiteball tour without the players currently doing duty in Big Bash. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali will not be part of the tour, while Shaheen Shah Afridi was playing in the Big Bash before returning home to treat an injury.

Sri Lanka squad: To be announced.

Pakistan squad: Salman Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (w), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (w), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (w), Usman Tariq.

Verdict

Sri Lanka v Pakistan

I am backing Pakistan to win. I am also backing Sahibzada Farhan to top score for Pakistan.

Kamil Mishara is a good bet to top score for Sri Lanka.

Pakistan Win

Result

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