Pakistan face uphill battle to restore pride

Karachi, March 11: Pakistan face a test of character, discipline, skill and mental toughness as Sri Lanka attempt to create history in the third cricket Test starting at the National Stadium here from Sunday.

Sri Lanka, having already won the series after winning the Rawalpindi and Peshawar Tests, are roaring to inflict a first-ever whitewash over Pakistan on home turf. However, to make it happen, they will have to rewrite record books as Pakistan has never lost a Test in 33 matches at the National Stadium. The closest they came to losing here was about six years ago against Australia. But Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmad added 57 runs for the unfinished last wicket to snatch a one-wicket victory for Pakistan from the jaws of defeat.

Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar, battling to regain fitness after a horrifying collision with umpire Nazir Junior in Peshawar, was delighted with this fact. "This should give a lot of confidence to the players because they are playing on their most happy hunting ground. It gives a relaxing feeling," he said as he wore a neck collar.

His counterpart Sanath Jayasuriya said his team was not targeting a whitewash but was determined to maintain the standard the squad has shown on this tour. "We have played good competitive cricket and want to continue that on the last five days of what has been a wonderful tour," he said. "Pakistan are like wounded tigers. Their reputation has been dented and they will come into this Test with all guns blazing. But we are ready and there is no complacency in our ranks. I don't mind losing until we are playing high quality cricket," the left-hander told reporters.

Pakistan, in an effort to earn some consolation and restore battered pride, have reinforced their team by recalling middle-order batsman Ijaz Ahmad and wily wrist spinner Mushtaq Ahmad. The team got further boost when Wasim Akram and Moin Khan regained match fitness. "I think this is the best team I have got in the series," admitted the Pakistan captain.

Much to the delight of Pakistan, a hard and green top wicket has been prepared which momentarily gave them a sigh of relief. They apparently are now not worried much about Muttiah Muralitharan, who has broken their back by claiming 18 wickets in the series. But in Chaminda Vaas, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Ravindra Pushpakumara and Nuwan Zoysa, Sri Lanka have the pacers who can - and have destroyed - Pakistan top order.

In the Rawalpindi Test, the pacers exposed Pakistan batsmen's inability to resist temptations to chase wide deliveries when nearly half the team perished in the arc behind the wickets. But with Wasim Akram fit and Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis bowling superbly, Pakistan have an equal chance to decimate Sri Lanka batting which has looked compact, elegant and painstaking - courtesy Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardena, Russel Arnold and Tillekeratne Dilshan.

"This looks a wonderful wicket. I think we should have more pitches like this because we have two of the world's fastest bowlers. We should prepare wickets to our strength and not to the opposition's liking," Saeed said, adding: "We are contemplating playing four seamers but the final decision on the composition of the team will be taken before the toss."

When Sri Lanka opened the tour with a One-day International here last month, Atapattu had stroke a brilliant century as Sri Lanka won by 29 runs. But Saeed Anwar said tomorrow's match will be a different ball game.

Saeed Anwar said his fitness was a worry to him. He said he took pain-killing injections "but the physio says the injections will show their real work from Sunday. I have my fingers crossed and hoping to regain match fitness."

Saeed, the charismatic opener, is suffering from a badly bruised nose and sprained neck. He missed the training session on Saturday.

There were minor injury problems in the Sri Lankan camp as well. Aravinda de Silva, the 34-year-old champion batsman, was nursing a twisted ankle but participated in the last work-out. He had a long batting session in nets. "He looks fit and is very keen to play," Sri Lankan coach Dav Whatmore remarked.

The other injury worry for the tourists is the lanky left-arm pacer Nuwan Zoysa who is still down with a bad back.

Several powerful and invincible teams have visited Pakistan in the past. But they have never ever come as close as Sri Lanka who are sensing an opportunity to whitewash the home team. This reflects the uncharacteristic, sad and disappointing scenario of the Pakistan cricket complicated by the controversial resignation of team coach Intikhab Alam after the second Test.

The top order Pakistan batsmen have played street-like cricket when they were dismissed for 182 in the first innings at Rawalpindi and then 199 at Peshawar after being 154 for three shortly after lunch on the third day.

Those spineless performances have left them battling for survival in the both the Tests after the first innings. At Rawalpindi, they conceded a 171-run lead and then at Peshawar, they surrendered a 69-run lead.

In this background, all the pressure will be on the batsmen to deliver the goods. They have the potential and talent but they are not utilizing it because of lack of concentration and application. But the Karachi Test might just be the turning point of Pakistan cricket. A victory here will not only restore confidence, it would also help the team get back on winning track which is so very important since Pakistan has to play six Tests and nearly 25 One-day Internationals in the next four months.

Pakistan: Moin Khan (captain), Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan,Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Akram, Irfan Fazil, Mushtaq Ahmad, Arshad Khan, Wajahatullah Wasti and Imran Nazir.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Russel Arnold, Mahela Jayawardena, Aravinda de Silva, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Romesh Kaluwi-tharana (wicket-keeper), Chaminda Vaas, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Muttiah Muralitharan, Indika de Saram, Upul Chandana, Indika Gallage and Nuwan Zoysa.

Umpires: Riazuddin (Pakistan) and Russell Tiffen (Zimbabwe).

TV umpire: Afzaal Ahmad.

Reserve umpire: Sadiq Mohammad.

Match referee: Brian Hastings (New Zealand).