Malik ready for Sri Lanka

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said Sunday his team were disappointed about India's cancellation of a much-anticipated tour here but were keen to face "tough" replacements Sri Lanka.

India last week pulled out of their January tour of Pakistan over the Mumbai attacks, forcing the hosts to arrange a stop-gap series with Sri Lanka.

"We are disappointed that India decided not to tour us," Malik told reporters. "India has been doing well so it would have been a good series, but Sri Lanka is also a good team and we are ready for them."

"When India and Pakistan play each other, there is huge public interest in both countries, but that will now not come about," he added.

Sri Lanka have agreed to a tour that will include three Tests, three one-dayers and a Twenty20 match.

The tour is expected to begin after Sri Lanka complete a tour of Bangladesh on January 16.

Malik, who was appointed captain last year, said his team would have to play its best cricket to defeat Sri Lanka.

"We have not been playing much international cricket so we have to do a lot of hard work, while Sri Lanka have been doing well at the international level and will be tough opponents," he said.

Since Malik took over, Pakistan have lost 1-0 to both South Africa and India in their only two Test series in 20 months.

Australia postponed a tour of Pakistan in March, citing security fears, meaning Malik's squad has not played a single Test this year. In their most recent international outing last month, a series of one-dayers played on neutral ground in Abu Dhabi due to security concerns, Pakistan defeated the West Indies 3-0.

Malik said he hoped more international teams would follow in Sri Lanka's footsteps.

"Their visit will give us some good cricket and hopefully more teams will come to Pakistan in the future," he said.

Malik singled out sensational Sri Lankan spinner Ajantah Mendis as his team's main challenge.

"Sri Lanka have two quality spinners in Muttiah Muralitharan and Mendis, but we have played Murali a number of times and now need to master Mendis, who has been doing very well," the captain said.

KARACHI, Sunday, AFP