Pakistan will be looking double their lead while Sri Lanka level the series when the two sides meet in the second one-day international at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Bouncing back from a 2-0 whitewash in the Test series, the hosts secured a comprehensive 83-run win the series-opener in Dubai on Friday to go up 1-0 in the five-match ODI series.
Babar Azam hit a brilliant 103 while Shoaib Malik struck a brisk 61-ball 81 as Pakistan posted 292-6 after being put to bat.
Sri Lanka never looking in hunt of the chase and lost wickets at regular intervals. Lahiru Thirimanne top-scored for the visitors with 53 while Akila Dananjaya played a resisting unbeaten knock of 50 to help his side finish at 209-8.
The defeat further extended islanders’ miserable run in the ODIs in 2017. They have won just four and lost 17 of 22 games in the format this year with a win-loss ratio of 0.235 – the lowest ever among a top Test playing nation during a calendar year.
Sri Lanka are expected to make a couple of changes in their line-up for Monday’s game.
Dinesh Chandimal is uncertain for the game after sustaining a knee injury while fielding on Friday. If the middle-order batsman is not available, he would be replaced either by all-rounder Seekkuge Prasanna or batsman Chameera Kapugedra.
The visitors could also drop Jeffrey Vandersay and replace him with either Dusmantha Chameera or Vishwa Fernando to bolster their pace attack.
Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, meanwhile, has already announced that his side will be unchanged for the second match.
Probable Xis:
Pakistan:
Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Rumman Raees, Shoaib Malik, Junaid Khan
Sri Lanka:
Niroshan Dickwella, (wk), Upul Tharanga (capt.), Lahiru Thirimanne, Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera, Lahiru Gamage, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera /Vishwa Fernando
