Jayawardene happy with team selections
Confident of winning shorter formats of the game:
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE
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Sri Lankan cricket team captain Mahela Jayawardene (R) and
Pakistani Twenty20 cricket captain Mohammad Hafeez (L) pose
for photographers with the Twenty20 trophy during a press
conference in Colombo on May 28, 2012. Pakistan will play
two Twenty20s, five onedays and three Tests on their tour of
Sri Lanka, which begins June 1 with a Twenty20 match in
Hambantota. Picture by Lalith C Gamage |
Sri Lankan Captain for all forms of the game Mahela Jayawardene said
that he was quite happy with the two teams - Twenty20 and the 50 over –
given to him by the selectors and was confident of winning the shorter
formats of the game against Pakistan. Jayawardene exuding confidence and
looking fresh after his bash in the IPL in India and a scintillating
half century in the final game, said so at a media conference to launch
the tour at the Crystal Room, Taj Samudra, yesterday.
At the outset, Asanga Seneviratne the former Thomian and CCC all
rounder who is now the Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket in welcoming
the Pakistani cricketers said that Sri Lanka owes the Pakistanis a debt
of gratitude, for helping Sri Lanka cricket in difficult times.
Jayawardene further said that the two Twenty20 games will serve as a
good test for the picking of the Lanka squad for the World Cup Twenty20
to be held here soon.
The new Twenty20 Pakistani skipper and all rounder Mohammed Hafeez
said that the series would be keenly contested and that no team can go
out favourites because both teams are equally matched.
The Pakistanis are here after training for nearly two months and
according to the skipper are looking forward to giving continuity to the
success they have achieved in recent times.
They beat Sri Lanka and England and then took charge of the Asia Cup
beating Bangladesh in the final in Bangladesh. Their victories against
Sri Lanka and England were in desert country.
The two Twenty20 games will be played in Hambantota on June 1 and 3
for the Bank Alfalah and Jazz Cup. |
