Pakistan's newly appointed ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi is determined to carry forward his team's winning momentum as they prepare to face Sri Lanka in a crucial three-match series starting Tuesday in Rawalpindi. This comes fresh off Afridi's successful debut as captain, where he led Pakistan to a 2-1 home victory against South Africa last week in Faisalabad.
Building on Recent Success
Speaking at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, which will host all three ODIs this week, Afridi emphasized the importance of consistency. "Going into the Sri Lanka series, our focus is to carry that winning momentum forward," the fast-bowling captain stated. "We want to build consistency in our performances and make sure that we keep improving as a team in every department."
The leadership change came after Pakistan's disappointing performances in ODIs throughout 2025. The team had suffered bilateral series losses against New Zealand and the West Indies, followed by a defeat in the tri-nation series final against New Zealand and an early exit from the Champions Trophy they hosted.
Team Responsibility and Player Performance
With Pakistan losing 10 of its 14 ODIs in 2025, Afridi stressed the need for collective responsibility. "All the players should take responsibility," he asserted. "It's not Shaheen, Fakhar, Babar, or Saim's job, we all should do our best. We should even back those players who are not performing and always believe that we can perform as a team."
The South Africa series saw emerging talent Saim Ayub shine with two half-centuries, including a match-winning 77 in the decisive third ODI. While established stars had mixed performances - Babar Azam managed only 45 runs across three innings and Fakhar Zaman registered two successive ducks after his initial 45 - the batting depth proved crucial with significant contributions from Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan.
Challenging Opposition Ahead
Sri Lanka presents a much sterner test compared to the depleted South African squad that visited Pakistan. Ranked No. 4 in the ODI rankings (one place above Pakistan), the Lankan team arrives with confidence from recent series victories against Australia, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe.
Unlike the Proteas, who missed seven frontline players, Sri Lanka has brought a full-strength squad led by Charith Asalanka. The only significant absence is fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka, replaced by potential debutant Eshan Malinga due to a knee injury.
Asalanka acknowledged the challenge of facing Pakistan in their home conditions, noting "That's always a tough series when it comes to Pakistan, their home, their conditions." He added that both teams enter the contest with recent successes, setting the stage for an exciting encounter.
Pakistan is expected to prepare batting-friendly pitches to counter Sri Lanka's spin threat led by Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, with Jeffrey Vandersay providing additional spin options. The ODI series will be followed by a T20 tri-series in Rawalpindi and Lahore starting November 17, featuring Zimbabwe as the third team.
