Sana Mir and Usain Bolt named ambassadors of ICC T20 WC Qualifier 2024
Former Pakistan skipper Sana Mir and eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt have been named as the ambassadors of women’s and men’s ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024.
Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne on Wednesday won the toss and opted to bat first against Pakistan in the first Test match of the two-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Notably, Pakistan are hosting a Test match after a long gap of 10 years.
In 2009, a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers was attacked near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on the third day of the second Test against Pakistan, since then international cricket came to a halt in the country.
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Though Pakistan hosted a few international games in the shorter format against Zimbabwe, World XI, West Indies and Sri Lanka side, it was the longest format of the game they missed badly in their own turf.
The visitors come after drawing a series against New Zealand and so have 60 Test Championship points in their kitty. However, the home team, on the other hand, are yet to open their account.
For Pakistan, Yasir Shah has been dropped. Usman Shinwari and Abid Ali make their Test debuts.
Here are the Playing XIs of both the teams:
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Dilruwan Perera, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
Pakistan: Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (captain), Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Usman Shinwari, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi
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