In preparation for their upcoming two-match Test series against the Sri Lankan cricket team, the Pakistan cricket team arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday.
After their arrival, the Pakistani players will have a day of rest before heading to Hambantota on the following day. Once there, they will engage in a two-day warm-up match scheduled for July 11 and 12.
Morne Morkel, the former South African fast bowler who recently joined the Pakistan team as their bowling coach, has also joined the squad in Colombo. Unfortunately, he faced visa issues that prevented him from participating in the training camp held in Karachi.
The training camp for the Pakistani team concluded on July 7 at the National Stadium in Karachi, marking the end of their preparations before the series.
The first Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take place at the Galle International Cricket Stadium starting on July 16. Following this, the teams will travel to Colombo for the second Test, which will be held at the Singhalese Sports Club from July 24 to 28.
Pakistan previously toured Sri Lanka in July 2022, where they engaged in a two-match Test series that ended in a 1-1 draw. In the first Test, Pakistan successfully chased a target of 342 runs, achieving the highest run chase at that particular cricket ground and winning the match by four wickets. However, the hosts made a comeback in the second Test, leveling the series with a dominant 246-run victory.
Here is the itinerary for Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:
- July 9: Pakistan arrives in Colombo
- July 11-12: Warm-up match
- July 16-20: First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
- July 24-28: Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo
The Pakistan squad for the tour includes players such as Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, and Shan Masood.
In addition to the players, the team is supported by a group of dedicated personnel, including Rehan-ul-Haq as the team manager, Grant Bradburn as the head coach, Andrew Puttick as the batting coach, Morne Morkel as the bowling coach, Aftab Khan as the fielding coach, Abdul Rehman as the assistant coach, Drikus Saaiman as the strength and conditioning coach, Cliffe Deacon as the physiotherapist, Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi as the media and digital content manager, Lt Col Usman Anwari (Retd) as the security manager, Talha Ejaz as the analyst, and Malang Ali as the masseur.
Pakistan cricket team’s arrival in Sri Lanka in photos
????????✈️???????? The Pakistan Test Team, led by Babar Azam, arrives in Sri Lanka!
????️ The first test match begins on July 16th, 2023, at the GICS, Galle, while the second one starts on July 24th at the SSC, Colombo. #SLvPAK pic.twitter.com/uHABeNG9bR
— Sri Lanka Cricket ???????? (@OfficialSLC) July 9, 2023
