Last Updated on 5 months ago by Charbel Coorey

The 5th match of the Pakistan T20 Tri-Series is a battle regarding who will face the hosts in Sunday’s final. Sri Lanka, who have been very disappointing so far, must win this match as victory for Zimbabwe will seal qualification.

Despite the heavy defeat to Pakistan on Sunday, Zimbabwe have made a pretty good account of themselves in this tri-series. They were competitive in the tournament opener and then bowled Sri Lanka out for less than 100 for the second time this year.

Zimbabwe’s top order will be key as the middle order continues to struggle for consistency. Also, the bowling attack will fancy its chances against a Sri Lankan side devoid of any batting rhythm. A great opportunity awaits.

For Sri Lanka, the time is now to step up. They have been thrashed in both their matches so far, but a win here puts destiny in their own hands. For that to happen, they need their senior batters to deliver the goods.

Pakistan T20 Tri-Series 5th Match: SL vs ZIM Possible Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: 1. Pathum Nissanka, 2. Kamil Mishara, 3. Kusal Mendis (wk), 4. Kusal Perera/Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5. Janith Liyanage, 6. Dasun Shanaka (c), 7. Kamindu Mendis, 8. Wanindu Hasaranga, 9. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth/Maheesh Theekshana, 10. Dushmantha Chameera, 11. Eshan Malinga

Zimbabwe: 1. Brian Bennett, 2. Tadiwanashe Marumani, 3. Brendan Taylor (wk), 4. Sikandar Raza (c), 5. Ryan Burl, 6. Tony Munyonga, 7. Tashinga Musekiwa, 8. Wellington Masakadza/Graeme Cremer, 9. Brad Evans, 10. Tinotenda Maposa, 11. Richard Ngarava

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report and Weather

The average first innings score in this tri-series is 158. Teams batting first and second have won two matches each. There has been some movement available for the pace bowlers in the powerplay, while the spinners have enjoyed success.

Another cool and clear evening is forecast. The team who wins the toss will likely choose to chase, but batting first can be a good tactic too.

SL vs ZIM T20 Fantasy Cricket Tips: Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• The wicket-keeping pick is a bit of a lottery with Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera and Brendan Taylor out of form. Mendis has the higher ceiling.

Key batter picks:

• Brian Bennett has two scores of 49 in this tri-series, including against Sri Lanka. He has the most runs in ZIM-SL T20Is (226) at an average of 37.66 and strike rate of 132.94.
• Will the law of averages apply for Pathum Nissanka? The opener has scores of 0 and 17 in this tri-series. He can go big on his day which makes it a risk leaving him out of your Dream11 team.
• Kamil Mishara scored 93 runs in two T20Is against Zimbabwe earlier this year at a strike rate of 147.61. This includes a match-winning innings of 73* in the series decider. He also looked in good touch against Pakistan.

Top all-rounder picks:

• Sikandar Raza is always a top pick in Dream11. He bats in the top five and is a key bowler. He won player of the match against Sri Lanka earlier this tournament thanks to his 32-ball 47 and 1/23.
• Wanindu Hasaranga will be crucial against Zimbabwe’s inconsistent middle order. He took 3/32 against them earlier in the series. The legspinner has 10 wickets in just four T20Is against the Zimbabweans (avg. 10.70).
• Brad Evans had a tough game against Pakistan two nights ago, but he remains a good Dream11 pick. The pace bowler has looked sharp in this series and bowls in the death overs. He benefitted against Sri Lanka last week, taking 3/9.

Key bowler picks:

• Dushmantha Chameera has a good record against Zimbabwe: 7 T20Is, 12 wickets, avg. 15.83, SR 13.
• Richard Ngarava has a good matchup against Sri Lanka’s top order. He has overall figures of 2/47 off 40 balls against Pathum Nissanka and 1/25 off 33 balls against Kusal Mendis in T20Is.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Ryan Burl is in good touch. His 521 T20I runs this year come at a strike rate of 142.34. This includes 67* against Pakistan in the last match.
• Dasun Shanaka top-scored for Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe earlier in the tri-series. The skipper can also chip in with overs and fields in the hotspot positions.
• Maheesh Theekshana has taken nine wickets in six T20Is against Zimbabwe at an average of 16.77 and economy of 6.51.
• Eshan Malinga bowled nicely on T20I debut against Zimbabwe last week (2/27). He bowls in the tough overs which can bring about some wicket-taking opportunities.

Other Stats and Important Matchups

• Head-to-head: Matches 10, Sri Lanka 7, Zimbabwe 3.
• Zimbabwe have bowled Sri Lanka out for 80 and 95 in T20Is this year.
• Wanindu Hasaranga vs Sikandar Raza in all T20s: 59 balls, 58 runs, no wickets.

SL vs ZIM Dream11 Prediction Today – Pakistan T20 Tri-Series 2025 5th Match

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams. 

Option 1:

Option 2:

SL vs ZIM Match Prediction: Who will win?

Sri Lanka are in woeful form. Zimbabwe have a great chance. However, the Lions have enough experience and should bounce back.

Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes for Dream11 free contests in line with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The stats and writer’s views are in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.

All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo and Cricmetric.