<p>Sri Lanka have handed their Test captaincy to Kusal Mendis after Dhananjaya de Silva decided to give up the role on Thursday. Mendis, who is already the white-ball captain, will take charge for the first time when Sri Lanka face Pakistan in a two-match Test series in November.</p>

<p>De Silva had been in charge of the Test side since February 2024, leading the team in 18 matches before deciding to step aside recently. He said he wanted to pass on the leadership responsibility to the next generation of players, as they are the future of Sri Lankan cricket.</p>

<p>Talking about <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/sri-lanka-announce-squad-for-t20-series-against-pakistan/8334-5-0">Kusal Mendis</a>, he brings plenty of experience to the role, although he has never captained Sri Lanka in Test cricket before. The board has opted for him over other candidates, as he is currently the captain of white-ball teams as well.</p>

<p>Mendis has captained Sri Lanka in 22 ODIs since first taking charge in October 2023, recording 10 wins and 10 defeats. His only stint as T20I captain came during the tour of the West Indies in June this year, where Sri Lanka lost the series 2-1.</p>

<p>In Test cricket, Mendis has scored 4,836 runs in 75 matches, making him Sri Lanka&rsquo;s 12th-highest run-scorer in the format.</p>

<p>Notably, Mendis will have some time to adjust to his new role before the next World Test Championship cycle, as Sri Lanka are unlikely to finish among the top two teams in the current standings.</p>

<p>It should be noted that Dhananjaya de Silva&#39;s decision to leave the captaincy followed a disappointing run of results. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka have performed quite poorly this year, losing 1-0 away to the West Indies and by the same margin against India at home.</p>

<p>With Kusal Mendis now in charge, Sri Lanka will hope to achieve better results when they take on Pakistan in the upcoming Test matches that will commence after the completion of the ODI tri-series.</p>

Kusal Mendis has been named Sri Lanka’s new Test captain after Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down, with his first challenge coming against Pakistan in November.

Kusal Mendis Handed Sri Lanka Test Captaincy After Dhananjaya Steps Down

<p>Pakistan and Sri Lanka begin their three-match T20I series on Friday, October 9, with the opening game set for Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The match starts at 8:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time, giving both sides a chance to make an early statement in the series.</p>

<p>Pakistan go into the first game as the favorites, with a 67% win probability compared with Sri Lanka&#39;s 33% in the available match data. The hosts will look to make that advantage count when the two sides meet under lights in Rawalpindi.</p>

<h3>Pakistan Look to Start Series Strong</h3>

<p>Pakistan have named a squad featuring a mix of experienced international players and younger options. Sahibzada Farhan will lead the side, while Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Naseem Shah are among the notable names in the squad.</p>

<p>If Fakhar plays, he gives Pakistan a left-handed option at the top, while Saim Ayub adds another left-handed batting option and can also contribute with off-spin. Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed add variety and attacking options to Pakistan&rsquo;s bowling unit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The squad also includes wicketkeeper Khawaja Nafay, along with Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas and Sufiyan Muqeem. Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah add further bowling options, while Salman Mirza provides a left-arm pace option.</p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s bowling group could be particularly important in the first T20I. Naseem Shah brings right-arm pace, while Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan give the team spin options in the middle overs.</p>

<h3>Sri Lanka Have Plenty of Experience</h3>

<p>Sri Lanka also arrive with a squad containing several experienced players. Kusal Mendis is listed as captain and wicketkeeper, while Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera and Maheesh Theekshana are among the senior figures in the squad.</p>

<p>Mendis gives Sri Lanka an experienced presence with the bat and behind the stumps. Shanaka adds another experienced batting and bowling option, while Chameera leads the pace attack with his right-arm fast bowling.</p>

<p>Sri Lanka also have several spin options available. The squad includes Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, giving the visitors different choices depending on the conditions in Rawalpindi.</p>

<p>Kamindu Mendis and Sahan Arachchige add further all-round options, while Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando and Eshan Malinga strengthen the bowling group.</p>

<h3>Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I Match Details</h3>

<p>The first T20I will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday, October 9. The scheduled start time is 8:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time.</p>

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			<p>Match</p>
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			<p>Pakistan vs Sri Lanka</p>
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			<p>Format</p>
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			<p>1st T20I Live on tapmad</p>
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			<p>Date</p>
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			<p>Friday, October 9</p>
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			<p>Time</p>
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			<p>8:00 PM PST</p>
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			<p>Venue</p>
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			<p>Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium</p>
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			<p>Series</p>
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			<p>3-match T20I series</p>
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<h2>Players to Watch</h2>

<p>Razaullah is one of the exciting player to watch in Pakistan&#39;s squad after his recent breakthrough. The young batter has earned his maiden white-ball call-up following an impressive run in red-ball cricket and will be looking to make an immediate impact in T20I cricket.</p>

<p>Hasan Nawaz is also one of Pakistan&#39;s key players to watch after his <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/former-cricketers-praise-hasan-nawaz-performance-against-india/8349-5-0">outstanding 96 against India</a> in the Asian Games final. The right-handed batter smashed five fours and seven sixes in a 51-ball knock that kept Pakistan in the chase until the final over.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For Sri Lanka, Kusal Mendis remains a key figure with both the bat and gloves. Maheesh Theekshana could also have an important role with the ball, particularly through the middle overs.</p>

<h2>Rawalpindi Pitch and Weather</h2>

<p>Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is expected to provide a good contest between bat and ball. Pakistan&#39;s batters will look to make the most of the powerplay, while the spinners could become increasingly important through the middle overs.</p>

<p>With the match scheduled for the evening, both teams will also have to assess the conditions before deciding whether batting first or chasing is the better option.</p>

<h3>Pakistan Predicted Playing XI</h3>

<p>Sahibzada Farhan (C), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Arafat Minhas, Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay (WK), Abrar Ahmed, Razaullah, Sufiyan Muqeem</p>

<h3>Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XI</h3>

<p>Kusal Mendis (C, WK), Pathum Nissanka, Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Sahan Arachchige, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga</p>

<h2>Watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Series Live on tapmad</h2>

<p>Watch <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/watch/sri-lanka-tour-of-pakistan-t20i-2026-27/1188601">Pakistan vs Sri Lanka live on tapmad</a> and follow every key moment from the action. You can also catch post-match highlights after each game to relive the biggest moments, wickets, and performances.</p>

Pakistan face Sri Lanka in the 1st T20I on October 9 in Rawalpindi. Check squads, match details, live updates and key players before the game.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I Preview and Match Details

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Sri Lanka Tour of Pakistan 2026

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