Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Tri-Series Final: Shadab Khan Ruled Out as Shaheen Afridi Chooses to Bowl in Lahore

What happened

The three-nation ODI series in Lahore has reached its final, and Pakistan go into it without the player who carried them there. Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and chose to bowl first against Sri Lanka at the Gaddafi Stadium, saying that dew expected later in the evening would make life hard for the side fielding second, ESPNcricinfo reported.

At the toss, Afridi said Shadab Khan was out through illness. The Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement, reported by Dawn, that Shadab had been ruled out on medical grounds after being struck by a bouncer in the fifth match against Sri Lanka. Faheem Ashraf came into the XI.

Sri Lanka made one change of their own, strengthening their spin attack with Maheesh Theekshana in place of seamer Eshan Malinga, who had been expensive in the previous game. Their openers then started confidently: Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando had 50 on the board without loss after 9.4 overs, according to ESPNcricinfo's live scorecard.

Why people are searching

• Cricket fans across the region. India is not in this series, but an ODI final between two Asian rivals draws a large audience, and Indian viewers were searching for scores and how to watch.
• The Shadab story. Shadab's absence matters because he was the hero of Pakistan's last win: an unbeaten 113 off 96 balls against England, with an unbeaten 84-run last-wicket stand alongside Haris Rauf after Pakistan had slumped to 154 for 9 in a chase of 242.
• Sri Lanka's form. On Tuesday, left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka took a career-best 5 for 34 as Pakistan were bowled out for 110, and Sri Lanka won by eight wickets with more than 31 overs to spare, The Guardian reported.

How the two teams got here

Pakistan were the favourites, ESPNcricinfo noted, having won three of their four matches, including both games against England and a 37-run win over Sri Lanka in the opening match. Sri Lanka lost their opener but then chased down 430 against England in Rawalpindi, Dawn reported, and their eight-wicket win on Tuesday ended England's chances of reaching the final.

The line-ups

Pakistan named Maaz Sadaqat, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. Sri Lanka, led by Kusal Mendis, named Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka alongside their captain, with two frontline spinners and two seamers, ESPNcricinfo noted.

What comes next

The final is still in progress. This page will be updated with the result and key performances once the match ends.