Pakistan bowl in tri-series final with Shadab out

In a cricket ODI tri-series final, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and opted to bowl in the match against Sri Lanka. However, the match saw a significant setback as Pakistan’s key player Shadab Khan was unable to participate due to being unwell. Shadab had been instrumental in Pakistan’s previous game against Sri Lanka, securing their spot in the final with a one-wicket victory and contributing with 113 runs off 96 balls.

Following Shadab’s performance, Pakistan fielded the same eleven players as in their previous game, with the sole exception of replacing Shadab with Faheem Ashraf. The Pakistan Cricket Board disclosed that Shadab was unable to play due to a medical issue after being struck by a bouncer during the previous game against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, aiming to defend their total for the first time in the tournament, made a single change by bringing in Maheesh Theekshana for their opening bowler Malinga. Over the tournament, Sri Lanka demonstrated a marked improvement, overcoming England in their opening game and later defeating Pakistan in a high-scoring game, before securing a narrow victory against England in their most recent match.