Cricket

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Preview & Tips - Babar Azam to lead Pakistan to Test win over Sri Lanka

By Ben Darvill

1 hour ago

Ben Darvill 1 hour ago

Share this article

Pakistan host Sri Lanka in the first of two Tests
Babar Azam is averaging 50.63 in Tests in 2026
Preview, stats & head to head

Babar Azam of Pakistan (Getty Images)

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Preview & Tips
Head To Head
Pakistan Form
Sri Lanka Form

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Preview & Tips

Pakistan are looking to put a 3-0 Test series defeat to England well and truly behind them as they host a Sri Lanka side that have been very poor in the longest format and are looking kickstart a better run of form.

Pakistan have won their last two Tests against Sri Lanka

Head To Head

Across their last 10 meetings, Pakistan have won five matches, Sri Lanka have won four games and one meeting has ended as a draw.

Pakistan Form

Pakistan have been very poor across their last 10 Tests, with two wins coming alongside eight defeats. While Pakistan have taken on a range of the best sides in the game in this time, they have been nowhere near good enough.

Indeed, the start of this run saw them hammered by the Windies in a 120-run loss. They then secured a stunning 93-run win over South Africa before losing to the Proteas once, Bangladesh twice and the Windies once. They were then able to beat the Windies before slumping to defeats by 103 runs, 194 runs and eight wickets against England.

While touring England is an assignment even the best are seriously challenged in, Pakistan were incredibly fragile with the bat while their bowling options failed to ever really build sustained pressure. This culminated in a loss that has set Pakistan even further back.

Despite their woes, Pakistan face a side that have been similarly poor, but they at least have home advantage on their side. They were excellent against Sri Lanka and England when hosting the pair recently, and while this was in the ODI format, the confidence they will have created from this should carry them through.

Wins by four wickets and an innings and 222 runs in their last two Tests against Sri Lanka shows the dominance they have enjoyed, although these wins did come back in 2023.

Babar Azam continues to impress in the Test game after averaging 50.63 in the format in 2026. He will lead his side as their captain but, perhaps more importantly, he will be their main man with the bat. When a team is having issues building big scores, they need to get behind a player that can consistently score, and I predict that this will be Babar Azam in this series.

Sri Lanka Form

Sri Lanka have also been suffering from a woeful run of form in the Test game after winning one of their last 10 in a torrid run.

Positive for Sri Lanka will be that their last Test draw against India will feel like something of a win. The first Test ended in a heavy 165-run loss with Sri Lanka sent back to the drawing board. With India posting a massive 503/9 declared before bowling Sri Lanka out for 290, a 2-0 series defeat looked certain.

However, following on, Sri Lanka battled hard as they made it to 429/9 before the two captains shook hands. From a situation that looked impossible, Sri Lanka ground out a draw in impressive style. This is the sort of performance a team should look to use as a springboard forward.

However, Sri Lanka have been poor against Pakistan, losing four of their last five Test matches. Home advantage in a Test series is often crucial, and I predict that Sri Lanka's issues across formats will see them slump to defeat in their opening Test against Pakistan.

Verdict

Pakistan v Sri Lanka 1st Test

I am backing Babar Azam to go beyond the 50-run mark in Pakistan's first innings as the home side go 1-0 up in the series.

Pakistan

Match Winner

@-250.00 - 1 Unit

25 SC no deposit & 250,000 GC

Use promo code NEWBONUS

Get 25 Stake Cash & 250,000 Gold Coins when you sign up with code NEWBONUS at Stake.us. USA only. Excludes certain States including NY,NV,ID, KY,WA. 18+ only. Terms and Conditions apply.

Bet at Stake.com

Azam 50+ Runs

Batter Milestones

@-111.11 - 1 Unit