Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will be facing each other in the first ODI match of the three-match series on Saturday at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sri Lanka are having the home advantage being the host, along with a formidable squad led by Kusal Mendis. All matches of the series will be played at the same venue.

Sri Lanka have gone through a plenty of negative results in the near past, suffering badly in Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023. This would be a fresh start for them as they would hope to kick it off on a good note. Recently, there have also been leadership changes in Sri Lanka camp with three new captains being named for each format. Kusal Mendis will lead the team in ODIs while Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva will captain the side in T20Is and Tests respectively. 

Coming into the series, Zimbabwe are being led by Craig Ervine. Zimbabwe will enter this series on the back of their loss against Ireland in their three-match ODI series. Zimbabwe had lost that series 0-2 after Ireland won the last two games. First game didn’t produce any result. Both teams have had their own disappointing results as they would hope to keep it positive going into this series. 

Talking about their head-to-head in ODIs, both teams have faced each other 62 times. Sri Lanka have recorded 47 wins while Zimababwe have won 12 matches and 3 of their matches have ended in no result.. 

Sri Lanka Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (c), Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka 

Zimbabwe Probable XI: Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Craig Ervine (c), Milton Shumba, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Clive Madande, Luke Jongwe, Richard Ngarava, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Tony Monyunga