New-look Pakistan T20I side aim for strong start against Sri Lanka

Pakistan will begin another chapter in their T20I campaign when they take on Sri Lanka in a three-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with the first game scheduled for October 9.

The series, which will continue on October 11 and conclude on October 13, comes at an important stage for Pakistan as they look to settle their combinations and build momentum ahead of future white-ball assignments.

The Green Shirts entered the series preparations on Wednesday with their first training session in Rawalpindi. Head coach Mike Hesson addressed the squad before the players went through a series of batting, bowling and fielding drills.

New bowling coach Shaun Tait was particularly involved with the fast bowlers, working with the pacers in the nets as Pakistan focused on sharpening their pace attack. Batting coach Mike Smith and fielding coach Mansoor Amjad also oversaw specialist sessions.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, trained under lights at the same venue as they prepare for what promises to be another competitive contest against Pakistan.

Could Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman reunite at the top?

One of the most intriguing selection questions revolves around Pakistan's opening combination.

Newly appointed T20I captain Sahibzada Farhan is expected to open alongside experienced left-hander Fakhar Zaman. The pair already have a memorable partnership against Sri Lanka, having put together a spectacular 176-run opening stand during the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Fakhar's return to the opening position could mean Maaz Sadaqat, who opened during Pakistan's Asian Games gold-medal clash against India, misses out from the starting XI.

Who will fill the No. 3 and No. 4 positions?

With Usman Khan no longer part of the squad, Khawaja Nafay has been brought in as his replacement and is expected to slot in at No. 3.

The position will give Nafay an opportunity to establish himself in Pakistan's middle order, while Hasan Nawaz is likely to retain the No. 4 role.

Nawaz was one of the few positives for Pakistan in their recent high-pressure encounter against India. Batting at four, he produced a remarkable 96 during Pakistan's chase of 212. Despite his effort, Pakistan eventually fell 19 runs short.

Speaking to the media before Wednesday's training session, Nawaz acknowledged that Pakistan's defeat was the result of several "small mistakes" but stressed that the team must learn from the experience rather than remain stuck in the disappointment.

"Yes, when I played a match against them earlier, I dropped out of the team because of that," Nawaz told reporters.

"And now that I have come back, I have played against them as well, Alhamdulillah. But we were not able to win the match because we were in a lot of trouble. The match was very close, and we made a lot of small mistakes which led to us losing.

"When you lose, and if you are stuck in that thing, how will you move forward? So, when you make mistakes, you learn and move forward. And we will try not to repeat the mistakes we made there.

"This cricket is not over yet. There will be a match with them again. We will make new mistakes again. And we will try to win the match. So, this is just a part of the game."

Can Pakistan find the right balance in the lower middle order?

The No. 5 position could be another area of competition.

Saim Ayub occupied the position against India while also contributing with the ball, but the return of Shadab Khan could force Pakistan to reconsider the combination.

Shadab's inclusion provides Pakistan with another experienced all-round option, while Saim offers a left-handed batting option and additional bowling flexibility. Pakistan's final decision could depend heavily on the conditions in Rawalpindi.

Abdul Samad is expected to retain his place at No. 6, particularly after establishing himself as a dangerous finisher capable of clearing the boundary when Pakistan need late acceleration.

Is Pakistan's all-rounder-heavy strategy about to continue?

Hesson's selection philosophy could once again become one of the biggest talking points.

Pakistan have increasingly leaned towards multi-skilled players, particularly in the lower middle order. Arafat Minhas and Razaullah are both likely candidates for the No. 7 and No. 8 positions respectively.

Minhas provides a spin-bowling option alongside his batting, while Razaullah adds pace and power to the lower order. Their presence would give Pakistan greater depth but could also leave limited room for specialist bowlers.

That balance will be particularly important if Pakistan continue with only two specialist fast bowlers.

Who could lead Pakistan's bowling attack?

Naseem Shah and Salman Mirza are expected to spearhead Pakistan's pace attack.

The presence of Tait as the new bowling coach adds another layer of intrigue to the fast-bowling unit, with the former Australian quick expected to work closely with Pakistan's pacers throughout the series.

The final specialist bowling position could come down to a choice between Sufiyan Moqim and Abrar Ahmed.

Both offer Pakistan a specialist spin option, but selecting between them could depend on the Rawalpindi pitch, opposition match-ups and the balance Hesson wants from his XI.

Can Pakistan begin the new chapter with a series victory?

The three-match series represents more than just another bilateral assignment.

Pakistan have a new T20I captain in Farhan, a coaching setup featuring Hesson and Tait, and several players competing for permanent places in the XI. That makes the Sri Lanka series an important opportunity to establish a clearer identity.

For Sri Lanka, meanwhile, the challenge is straightforward: upset Pakistan on their own turf and revive memories of their 2019 success.

With three matches in Rawalpindi and little room for error, the series promises to test whether Pakistan's new combination can translate potential into consistent T20I performances.