Pakistan will be without Shaheen Afridi for this series who claimed a five-wicket haul in an ODI for the first time in his most recent appearance (6/35 v Bangladesh); becoming the youngest bowler to record one at a men's Cricket World Cup.
Kusal Mendis (1,973) is approaching 2,000 men's ODI runs for Sri Lanka; he's one run away from recording his highest ever return in a calendar year (currently on 587).
Imad Wasim is looking to register 1,000 men's ODI runs for Pakistan, he needs 60 to get there; he averages 43 in the format.
Usman Shinwari (Pakistan) claimed his best ODI figures against Sri Lanka, picking up 5/34 in the most recent encounter between the two sides.
Sri Lanka have managed to register eight victories in their last 10 men's ODI games to take place in Pakistan (L2); winning their last two such games there by margins of 129 runs and 234 runs (both in 2009).
Pakistan are set to play a men's ODI game in Karachi for the first time since January 2009; they are playing in such a fixture on home soil for the first time since May 2015.
The last six completed men's ODI fixtures played out between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the National Stadium in Karachi have seen the winner alternate; the Lions recorded victory in the most recent such meeting there (21st January 2009).
Sri Lanka have tasted defeat in eight of their last nine men's ODI games against Pakistan; they have lost each of the last six encounters.
Pakistan registered a 5-0 victory over Sri Lanka when these sides last met in a bilateral ODI series (October 2017); those fixtures all took place in the United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan have put together a run of successive victories against Sri Lanka in multi-game bilateral men's ODI series; they haven't enjoyed a longer run since putting together a seven-series streak between 1982 and 1994.