Asian Test Championship final from today

Waqar, Jaysuriya equally upbeat about their chances

Jayasuria © AFP

LAHORE - In a repeat of the Asian Test Championship final two years ago at Dhaka, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are to commence the fight for continental supremacy here at the Gaddafi Stadium. In this second version of the ATC, the Lankans, tamed in 1999 by a whopping innings and 175 runs, are keen to make amends this time round and inscribe their name on the trophy. But the Pakistanis are equally resolute in not letting the Asian title out of their grasp.

Despite watertight security, which both Waqar Younis and Sanath Jayasuriya said they weren't really concerned about, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are arguably the two form teams of the sub-continent. And that reflects in the demeanour of Waqar and Jayasuriya. They sounded coolly confident of having resources to outgun the other. Both had reasons to be upbeat, their confidence stemming from the string of victories each of the sides had notched.

After an unsteady spell, the Lankans are going through a purple patch, They have won eight back to back Tests, and by heavy margins to boot. At home, they've not just beaten their opponents, they've indeed humiliated them, none able to negotiate with Muttiah Muralitharan with any measure of confidence. And when rarely Murali didn't get amongst the wickets in a big way, it was Chaminda Vaas or Dilhara Fernando who did the opposition in.

It's not just Murali's bowling that has alone spelt doom on the opponents. It is the Lankan stroke makers who have made 500 or more in the first innings of almost every encounter in this remarkable winning sequence. And the Lankan stroke makers haven't just been piling up runs, they made them at a brisk rate too and then to let loose their bowlers on the opposition with plenty of time at their disposal.

However, venturing out, this is going to be a real Test for the Lankans. And the Pakistanis aren't making things easier for them. To 'defang' Muralitharan, the chief architect of many a Lankan win (and also as part of an effort to make wickets at home which afford seam, pace and bounce), the wicket here is green and is certain to assist Pakistan's pace attack, which despite Akram's absence remains potent enough.

Pakistan is thus likely to go into the match with a pace battery of four, in skipper Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami and Abdul Razzaq, the all-rounder who is in equally fine fettle with the bat these days. In the circumstances, off-spinning ace Saqlain Mushtaq may be left out, with his understudy Shoaib Malik edging his way in. Somehow the Pakistani think tank is enthused with the idea that Malik can bolster the upper order, where there is a vacancy with Anwar still nursing his injured right wrist.

So in all probability, Malik would accompany Taufeeq Umar to open the innings with Shahid Afridi batting down the order.

Despite Saqlain not playing, Pakistan's bowling attack is really good enough to probe the Lankans with pace and venom, with Malik and Afridi providing variety in spin.

Actually it is not the Pakistan bowling which remains a cause for concern to the team management. It is the batting, which has a tendency to be brittle. Yet, while the bowlers deserve all credit for the revival in their fortunes, the batting too has tried to pull its weight by contributing well over 400 runs in each of the first innings of the last six Tests, all of which were won by Pakistan, five of them quite convincingly.

Pakistan would be looking up to their mainstay in batting, vice-captain Inzamam-ul-Haq to rediscover his touch. Not having fired for a couple of series, he indeed is overdue for runs.

Even otherwise, Pakistan's batting doesn't lack much in terms of talent and class; it is the application that has been a gray area.

All said and done, with both sides fiercely determined to maintain their respective winning sprees, and both having enough resources at their disposal to follow their dream, this Asian final is likely to be a highly absorbing contest.

Teams (from):
Pakistan Team