England Recall Dawson Over Rashid as Sri Lanka Choose to Bowl First in Tri-Series Opener

Toss: Sri Lanka elected to field against England

Adil Rashid has been omitted for the second match of England’s tri-series in Pakistan, with Liam Dawson taking his place in a tactical switch. The leg-spinner, returning from a hand injury that sidelined him for September’s ODI series against Sri Lanka, finished with figures of 1 for 55 in the opening 87-run defeat. Josh Tongue also replaces Sonny Baker as the sole other alteration to the XI.

Despite losing the toss, captain Harry Brook expressed satisfaction at being asked to bat first. “We were going to have a bat today,” Brook said. “[The pitch] looks slightly drier, and feels slightly harder. Hopefully, we get some runs on the board and put them under pressure.”

Rashid’s exclusion marks a significant call given his standing as England’s second-highest ODI wicket-taker behind James Anderson. Former captain Nasser Hussain, speaking on Sky Sports, suggested the decision was influenced by the success of Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas in the previous fixture.

“I thought he’d play just to give him a run of games,” Hussain noted. “I think it’s a tactical one, having seen the way the pitch played and seen how Pakistan’s spinners bowled on it, bowling it into the surface. Anything that was pitched up—whether it be seamers or spinners—got belted, and Dawson does bowl it into the surface, and obviously gives a bit more batting as well.”

Brook echoed the need for greater aggression against spin after criticising his side’s intent—including his own—in the tournament opener. “We were probably a bit too careful against their spinners,” he admitted. “We’ve just got to learn from that, and look to put them under a bit more pressure.”

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis opted to chase, anticipating that dew would alter conditions in the second innings, even though both matches in Rawalpindi thus far have been won by the side batting first. “The dew will come in the second innings, hopefully,” Mendis said.

The tourists mirrored England’s spin strategy, swapping leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage for left-arm finger-spinner Dunith Wellalage.

Sri Lanka: 1 Avishka Fernando, 2 Kamindu Mendis, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt/wk), 4 Pavan Rathnayake, 5 Sahan Arachchige, 6 Janith Liyanage, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Eshan Malinga, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Dilshan Madushanka

England: 1 Tom Banton, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Jordan Cox (wk), 6 Sam Curran, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Liam Dawson, 10 Gus Atkinson, 11 Josh Tongue

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