Rawalpindi:Sri Lankan skipper Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl against Pakistan in the first Test at the Pindi Stadium on Monday, opting for a pace-heavy attack on a green-tinged pitch.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Sri Lanka entered the match without a frontline spinner, relying instead on a four-man pace attack. In contrast, Pakistan selected three fast bowlers and a spin-bowling all-rounder, with four players—Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha, Arafat Minhas, and Saqib Khan—making their Test debuts.
The teams are scheduled to play the second Test in Lahore starting November 17. The Pakistan team is captained by Babar Azam, while Kusal Mendis leads the Sri Lankan side. The match officials include umpires Adrian Holdstock from South Africa and Rodney Tucker from Australia, with Allahuddien Palekar serving as the TV umpire and Dean Cosker from England as the match referee.