Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan hopes a new combination without star players Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi will come good against Sri Lanka in their Twenty20 International series starting in Rawalpindi on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The three-match series will see Farhan take on the skipper's role after leading a second-string side to silver at the Asian Games in Japan, losing to India in the final last week.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also missing from the squad are former T20I skipper Salman Agha and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, part of an exodus aimed at building the side for the 2028 T20I World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I am confident that this new combination is the best and will settle in this series," said Farhan on Thursday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I know how to lead the side and I will not take pressure."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Azam's form had dipped in T20Is, and he was also dropped from Pakistan's final match against Sri Lanka at the Twenty20 World Cup in February.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shaheen is also out of favour for T20Is but will skipper Pakistan's one-day international side in a tri-series with Sri Lanka and England starting in Rawalpindi from October 18.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sri Lanka are also in a transition phase with star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and former skipper Charith Asalanka dropped for the tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hasaranga is joint-fifth in the all-time T20I wicket-taking list with 163 in 101 games.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Unfortunately, Wanindu is still injured, and we will miss him but we have a few other exciting players who I am sure will stand up and perform," said Sri Lankan skipper Kusal Mendis.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I think everyone knows how to play in Pakistan," said Mendis, who played in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Pakistan also have some new faces but their players are good and we know some of them from the PSL, so I hope our players will do well."<\/p>\r\n\r\n