Sri Lanka lose two wkts after solid 56-run stand against Pakistan

CARDIFF: Pakistan took two early wickets after a solid 56-run 2nd wicket partnership between BKG Mendis (27) and N Dickwella (28 not out) as the green shirts put brakes on Sri Lankan batting in a must-win clash in Cardiff.

Hasan Ali dismissed Mendis and later debutant Fahim Ashraf clean bowled Chandimal for a duck.

Junaid Khan earlier struck in his second over to dismiss opener Gunathilaka cheaply, after Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first in the last Champions Trophy group match.

It’s a do-or-die clash, with the team winning the game securing a place in the semi-final. The losing side will head for home.

Pakistan have made one change, bringing in debutant Fahim Ashraf for Shadab Khan.

Congratulations Fahim Ashraf on ODI debut pic.twitter.com/PEf2bHyO8E

— PCB Official (@TheRealPCB) June 12, 2017

Pakistan

Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Amir and Fahim Ashraf.

Sri Lanka

Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Asela Gunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Pradeep.

Here are the line-ups for #SLvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/nHL9UnAJgs

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017

An overcast morning and a green tinged-pitch offer the promise of assistance for Pakistan´s pacemen, although the ball has not generally swung early on during matches in this tournament.

Sri Lanka have also made one change from their previous game. Dhananjaya de Silva came straight into the Sri Lanka side after being called up as a replacement for Kusal Perera, who suffered a tournament-ending hamstring injury while batting in a shock win over India at the Oval on Thursday.

Whichever side won this match was, barring an extraordinarily lopsided result, likely to face England in a semi-final in Cardiff on Wednesday.