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Pakistan Women begin a three match ODI series against Sri Lanka Women at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota, with both sides fresh off campaigns at this year’s T20 World Cup. The series carries added weight as part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29, with qualification points for the next Women’s World Cup on the line. In this preview you will find the match details, form, pitch report and two PAK-W vs SL-W fantasy team options, one safe and one for grand leagues.
For Indian viewers, the match starts at 10.00 AM IST, the same as the local start time in Sri Lanka.
PAK-W vs SL-W Match Details
Match: Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women, 1st ODI
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Time: 10.00 AM IST | 10.00 AM local, Sri Lanka
Venue: Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota
What’s At Stake
This series counts towards the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29, the qualification pathway to the next 50-over World Cup, making every point valuable for both sides. Pakistan reached the T20 World Cup this year with several players in good form, while Sri Lanka narrowly missed out on the semi-finals on net run rate despite promising performances from their batting group. Both teams will see this series as a chance to build momentum in the format ahead of the qualification race.
Fatima Sana’s Big Year
Fatima Sana continues as Pakistan’s ODI captain for this series, but will miss the T20I leg of the tour entirely, having been signed to play in The Hundred in England once the ODIs conclude, making her the first Pakistani women’s cricketer to feature in the competition. Muneeba Ali has been named Pakistan’s T20I captain in her absence, but for these three ODIs it is Sana leading the side, fresh off a T20 World Cup where she took 11 wickets in five matches and was named in the Team of the Tournament.
PAK-W vs SL-W Head To Head
Pakistan lead the head to head 7 wins to 3 across the last ten meetings between the two sides, though all of the recorded meetings shown are from 2018 and 2022, with the two sides not having played each other recently in this format.
PAK-W vs SL-W Squads
Pakistan Women: Fatima Sana (c), Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Maham Anees, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Sadaf Shamas, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhtar
Sri Lanka Women: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama, Hansima Karunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Chethana Vimukthi, Inoka Ranaweera, Imesha Dulani, Dewmi Vihanga, Rashmika Sewwandi, Kawya Kavindi
Hambantota Pitch Report
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium has hosted only 3 women’s ODIs, with every one of them won by the team batting first. The average first innings score of 187 suggests a surface where a par total puts real pressure on the chasing side, and the ground has produced totals as high as 275 in the past.
Venue stats:
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 3 |
| Won batting first | 100% |
| Won bowling first | 0% |
| Average 1st innings score | 187 |
| Average 2nd innings score | 135 |
| Highest total | 275/6 by Sri Lanka Women vs West Indies Women |
| Lowest total | 92 all out by West Indies Women vs Sri Lanka Women |
| Highest chased | 198/4 by Sri Lanka Women vs West Indies Women |
PAK-W vs SL-W Probable Playing XIs
Pakistan Women (probable): Sidra Amin, Muneeba Ali, Ayesha Zafar, Fatima Sana (c), Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Umm-e-Hani, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Sadaf Shamas, Waheeda Akhtar
Sri Lanka Women (probable): Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Dewmi Vihanga, Chethana Vimukthi, Inoka Ranaweera, Hansima Karunaratne
Key Player Battles
Chamari Athapaththu vs Pakistan’s new ball attack: Athapaththu remains one of the most destructive batters in women’s cricket, and how Sana and the Pakistan seamers handle her in the powerplay could shape the whole match.
Fatima Sana vs Sri Lanka’s middle order: Sana’s recent form with the ball, fresh off her Team of the Tournament recognition at the T20 World Cup, makes her the bowler Sri Lanka’s middle order will need a clear plan against.
Kavisha Dilhari vs Pakistan’s spinners: Dilhari’s all-round contributions have been a consistent asset for Sri Lanka, and her battle against Pakistan’s spin options through the middle overs is worth watching closely.
PAK-W vs SL-W Fantasy Team (Small Leagues)
Wicketkeeper: Anushka Sanjeewani
Batters: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Sidra Amin (VC), Ayesha Zafar
All Rounders: Fatima Sana, Kavisha Dilhari
Bowlers: Nashra Sundhu, Inoka Ranaweera, Chethana Vimukthi, Waheeda Akhtar, Dewmi Vihanga
Athapaththu is captain as Sri Lanka’s most destructive and reliable batter, and Amin takes the vice-captaincy as an experienced anchor at the top of Pakistan’s order. Sana and Dilhari cover the all-round bases for either side.
PAK-W vs SL-W Fantasy Team (Grand Leagues)
For grand leagues, this second PAK-W vs SL-W fantasy team brings in Muneeba Ali and Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama as lower-owned alternatives to the headline names.
Wicketkeeper: Muneeba Ali — differential
Batters: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama (VC) — differential, Umm-e-Hani
All Rounders: Fatima Sana, Nilakshi de Silva
Bowlers: Inoka Ranaweera, Hansima Karunaratne — differential, Nashra Sundhu, Rashmika Sewwandi — differential
Samarawickrama offers batting upside in the middle order without the ownership Athapaththu or Gunaratne are likely to draw, and Hansima Karunaratne is a wildcard bowling pick capable of a breakout performance in home conditions.
Also Read- ZIM vs IND Fantasy Team, 1st T20I: Preview, Probable XIs, Pitch Report And Prediction
PAK-W vs SL-W Match Prediction
Pakistan arrive with the stronger recent batting form, having posted 340-plus twice and 300-plus a third time in their last five matches, and Fatima Sana leads a side full of confidence after the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka have home conditions and a settled core around Athapaththu, Gunaratne and Dilhari, but their recent results have been more mixed. Pakistan get a narrow edge on current batting form, though a venue that has favoured the team batting first in all matches so far means winning the toss could be just as important as either side’s form.
FAQs
Q. When is the PAK-W vs SL-W 1st ODI?
A. Thursday, July 23, 2026, at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota, starting at 10.00 AM local time and IST.
Q. Who is Pakistan Women’s captain?
A. Fatima Sana captains Pakistan Women in this ODI series. Muneeba Ali will captain the T20I leg of the tour, as Sana will be unavailable to play in The Hundred in England.
Q. Who is Sri Lanka Women’s captain?
A. Chamari Athapaththu captains Sri Lanka Women.
Q. What is at stake in this series?
A. The series forms part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29, which carries qualification points towards the next Women’s World Cup.