Aim is to finish tour on a high with series win, says Muneeba ahead of T20Is against SL

DAMBULLA: Asserting that their goal is to finish the tour on a high with a series victory, stand-in captain Muneeba Ali said a revamped Pakistan team is ready to compete fiercely against hosts Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series starting on Friday.

All matches of the series will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. In head-to-head records, Pakistan hold a slight advantage over Sri Lanka, having won 11 of the 21 T20I encounters between the two sides, while one match produced no result.

"We look forward to competing hard in the T20I series here in Dambulla and the aim is to finish the tour on a high with a series win. It is an honour for me to lead Pakistan at any given opportunity and I'll do my best to contribute towards the development of youngsters and produce positive results for the team," Muneeba said in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement on the eve of the series opener.

Wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba will lead the side after regular captain Fatima Sana departed for England to participate in The Hundred following the conclusion of the three-match ODI series, which Sri Lanka won 2-1 after coming from behind.

Muneeba, Pakistan’s first women’s T20I centurion with two hundreds in the shortest format, has previously stood in as captain during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 against Australia in Dubai and against Zimbabwe in an ODI in May this year.

Pakistan have made significant changes to their squad, bringing in eight new players compared to the side that featured in the last T20 World Cup, where they lost four out of five league stage games.

Eman Naseer, Humna Bilal, Maham Anees, Momina Riasat, Najiha Alvi, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Umm-e-Hani, and Waheeda Akhtar have been drafted in, with batters Eman and Maham being uncapped in the format.

"We have a number of young and up-and-coming players in the T20I squad and it will be exciting to see them ply their trade on the top level against some of the best players," added Muneeba.

Sri Lanka have also refreshed their roster by making three changes from their ODI setup -- calling up youngsters Sanjana Kavindi, Chamudi Praboda, and Rashmika Sewwandi. "We are aware of Sri Lanka's capability to bounce back from any situation, and we will look to take the field with the best preparation and planning possible," Muneeba concluded.