Lanka to exploit Pakistan’s inexperience

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Sri Lanka will be hoping to exploit Pakistans inexperience to win the first of the two Test matches which commences at the National Stadium in Karachi today.

The new look Pakistan team will be looking to put a series of on and off-field disasters behind them and rebuild under their new captain Younis Khan who will be leading the side for the first time.

Drug and disciplinary problems coupled with a series of poor results had already plunged Pakistan into disaster before multiple bomb blasts and the Mumbai attacks robbed the team of playing opportunities.

To add to their worries seventeen of their first-class players remain banned from international cricket after participating in the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Better record

In contrast Sri Lanka are fielding an experienced line up with skipper Mahela Jayawardena hoping to bounce back following their humiliating 1-4 One Day International series defeat to India at home last month.

Sri Lanka of course have a much better record in Test cricket and are placed fourth in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings compared to Pakistan who are struggling at the seventh place.

Jayawardena who will be stepping down after this series said that the Test team is quite different to the one-day side and the way they play and their approach is completely different The Sri Lanka captain also backed Younis Khan to handle the situation and insisted Pakistan would pose a serious challenge in this series which will also mark the return of Test cricket in Pakistan after 14 months.

“I don’t think captaincy is going to be a problem for Younis and the players around him have quite a bit of experience, not just playing for Pakistan but playing for counties and various other teams,” Jayawardene said.

“I know they haven’t played Test cricket for quite some time so we have to wait and see how their approach is going to be.”

Younis Khan, who replaced Shoaib Malik in January after losing the one-day series to Sri Lanka 1-2 said that Pakistan hoped to leave their problems in the past and produce an improved performance. “Whatever has happened in the past is behind us,” he said. “I know my job and feel no pressure as captain, and I also know my role as a batsman. My team is also in the right frame of mind.”

In an attempt to prepare the players for the Tests against Sri Lanka, the Pakistan cricket authorities decided to send their team to a “mental camp” in the build-up to the opening game.

Pakistan have not figured in a Test since playing against India at Bangalore in December 2007, and have not hosted a Test match since playing South Africa in October two years ago.

Impressive series

While Pakistan were starved of any Test cricket in the past Sri Lanka had the luxury of playing nine Tests - which also includes an impressive series victory against India at home.

They have proved that they are the best of the rest although they are still not quite good enough to touch the top three in the Test rankings.

However Sri Lanka who are hoping to give their captain a good farewell gift head into the series with a settled batting line-up.

Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara who hammered a splendid century in a warm-up game on Wednesday are season campaigners while Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thilan Samaraweera are turning out to be quality middle-order batsmen.

The only area where they are really lacking is in the fast bowling department but with spinners in the calibre of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in their ranks they are certain cause many problems to the opposition especially on a track that could provide plenty of assistance to the slow bowlers.