Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 1st T20: Pitch report, Dambulla stadium key stats

The much-anticipated T20I series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan kicks off today, at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. Pakistan skipper Salman Agha won the toss and elected to bowl first against hosts Sri Lanka on the night.  Both teams are eager to fine-tune their squads ahead of the T20 World Cup in February, with this series offering crucial preparation for the global event.

 

Pakistan comes into the series with confidence after winning the T20I tri-series in Pakistan in November 2025, where they defeated Sri Lanka in the final. However, Sri Lanka will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Zimbabwe during that tour and prove their strength on home soil.

 

The Men in Green will be without some key players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Rizwan, leaving a gap for emerging players to step up. While this creates opportunities for fresh talent, Pakistan will need to adapt quickly without their experienced core.

 

Sri Lanka, boosted by home support, will aim to capitalize on Pakistan’s absences and exploit any weaknesses in their lineup. The Dambulla pitch, typically spin-friendly, could play a crucial role, giving Sri Lanka’s spinners the edge. Both teams will be looking to build momentum as they prepare for the T20 World Cup. 

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 1st T20I: Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla pitch report

The pitch at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium for the first T20I between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. Historically, the ground has favored spinners, especially in the second innings, with six out of the nine matches being won by the team batting first. The highest total recorded in the first innings here is 209, while the lowest is 89, highlighting the potential for both high-scoring and low-scoring affairs. 

 

The surface is expected to provide good bounce, particularly during the first six overs with the new ball, which will be key for the batters to capitalize on early momentum. This phase will require an aggressive approach from the top order to put pressure on the bowlers. As the game progresses, the pitch is likely to offer more assistance to the spinners, making it crucial for both teams to strategize wisely and adapt quickly to the changing conditions.  Sri Lanka vs Pakistan: Head-to-head stats in T20Is in Dambulla  This is the first Sri Lanka and Pakistan will be playing a T20I encounter at this venue.

SL vs PAK H2H stats in T20Is
Stats	Matches	SL won	PAK won	Draw	Tied	NR
Overall	27	11	16	0	0	0
At Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium	0	0	0	0	0	0
In the last 5 matches	5	2	3	0	0	0

 

Most recent T20I match in Dambulla  The most T20I encounter in Dambulla was between hosts Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The match went in the favour of the visitors who defeated the Lankans by an 83-run margin back on July 13, 2025.  Key T20I stats of Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium  The Dambulla International Stadium has hosted 9 T20I matches, with teams batting first winning 6 times and bowling first securing 3 victories. The average score for teams batting first is 162.75, while teams batting second have an average score of 144.37. The overall average run rate is 7.99. In terms of wickets, pacers have claimed 52.17% of them, while spinners have taken 47.82%. These statistics suggest a well-balanced pitch that supports both batting and bowling strategies. 

Rangiri Dambulla Int'l stadium key T20I stats
Criterion	Data
Matches played	9
Matches won batting 1st	6
Matches won bowling 1st	3
Average score batting 1st	162.75
Average score batting 2nd	144.37
Average run rate	7.99
% of wickets by pacers	52.17
% of wickets by spinners	47.82