|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Thursday, 28 October 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Sports | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Lanka looking to complete series hat-trick Chris Dhambarage reporting from Pakistan KARACHI, Wednesday, Sri Lanka will be hoping to complete a hattrick of series victories when they take on Pakistan in the Paktel GSM Cup second and deciding test match at the National Stadium starting here on Thursday. The Lankans won the series between the two countries in 1995 and 1999 both by the identical margin of 2-1. Skipper Marvan Atapattu is now all set to add the finishing touches and complete a highly successful tour where they also clinched the Paktel GSM Cup triangular series which also involved Zimbabwe. Atapattu was confident about his team's capabilities after having won the first test match by a huge margin of 201 runs at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. The opening batsman however said that the second test is altogether a completely new match and they will have to start from zero. Atapattu himself will be keen to get on with the game and put up a good performance after collecting a pair in the first test. He said that the Sri Lankan batting line up has shown a tremendous amount of courage and determination during this tour which something they have failed to produce in the past few years. He said that the manner in which they came from behind to win the first test was really outstanding and that kind of performance will certainly lift the morale of the other players too. Atapattu said that the conditions at the National Stadium in Karachi is similar to what they experienced at Faisalabad and that it should turn out be a good batting track. Even then Sri Lanka have delayed in naming the final eleven until the morning of the game as they want to make sure that they get the right combination for this crucial test. The chief curator at the Karachi National Stadium Agha Zuhaid said that this wicket is similar to the one which the two teams played in Faisalabad and should last the full five days. However he said that as this is the coastal area there will be a certain amount of movement on the first day which may helped the fast bowlers. In the previous test match played at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan beat Bangladesh by a convincing margin last year. Atapattu said that the team showed a great amount of responsibility in their batting during the second innings at Faisalabad and is expecting a repeat performance from his top order. He said that the team is now learning from their previous mistakes after a gruelling home series against Australia and South Africa. Sri Lanka had the satisfaction of taking a first innings lead in all three test matches against Australia but collapsed in the second innings to lose the series 0-3. Atapattu said that the team have now realized well that they need to bat much better in the second innings too while showing a great amount of mental toughness. The Lankans after being bowled out for just over two hundred runs came back strongly to pile up a second innings total of exceeding four hundred runs with opener Sanath Jayasuriya blasting a superb double century. In fact Jayasuriya is set to become Sri Lanka's highest run getter in test cricket and is also a mere three runs short of completing one thousand runs for this calendar year. In addition Kumar Sangakkara, Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardena all have crossed the 800 run mark this year and will be hoping to maintain their excellent form. Atapattu said that they need to stay focus on the game during all five days and just cannot afford to let the Pakistanis make a comeback. Even then Pakistan's preparations for the second test have not been all that satisfying with their ace fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar doubtful because of a shoulder injury. The Rawalpindi Express gave Sri Lanka a torrid time at Faisalabad while capturing a five wicket haul in the first innings. His absence will be a tremendous blow to the home side and young paceman Riyaz Afridi is set to make his test debut. Earlier the national selectors axed the out of form Moin Khan from the test squad which means Pakistan will go in with a new wicket keeper. The teams: Sri Lanka (from): Marvan Atapattu (captain), Mahela Jayawardena, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Jehan Mubarak, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana, Farveez Maharoof, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Thilina Kandamby, Ian Daniel and Lasith Malinga. Pakistan (from): Inzamam ul Haq (captain), Yasir Hameed, Imran Farahat, Shoaib Malik, Kamaran Akmal, Yousuf Youhana, Asim Kamal, Younis Khan, Shiab Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq, Zulkaranain Haider, Riyaz Afridi, Danish Kaneria, Shabbir Ahmed. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
