Sri Lanka better placed for early Test advantage

RAWALPINDI: The Sri Lankans may not have been better placed than this to win their second successive test series against Pakistan when the first test of three-match series starts at the Rawalpindi Stadium, Saturday. Under Arjuna Ranatunga, the Lankans had won the three-test series in 1995-96 against Rameez Raja's Pakistani outfit after being thrashed by an innings in the first test.

Having crushed the home side in the three-match One-day International series earlier in the month, the Islanders are set to take an early lead over Pakistan in the longer version of the game as well. The in-form Sri Lankan batting line-up has been bolstered by the return of experienced duo of Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga - both former skippers while in Muttiah Muralitharan they enjoy the services of world's best off-spinner. The decent Sri Lankan pace attack of tried and tested Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa, who recorded a unique hat-trick by dismissing top three Zimbabwean batsmen with his first three deliveries late last year, followed by experienced Pushpakumara, is capable of making inroads into brittle Pakistan batting line-up.

Basking in the glory of three successive one-day victories over a rather young Pakistan side, skipper Jayasuriya was however not over-ambitious about the outcome of the test rubber. "Pakistanis are a capable outfit and can make a comeback at any stage", were the views of the Lankan skipper while talking to the reporters after the three-day fixture leading to the test. Pakistan, on the other hand, are rather on the down side after losing their last two home series against Zimbabwe and Australia respectively, a fact also described by skipper Saeed Anwar in his talk to the reporters. "I think our overall record shows we have started to win away tests also but there was a lean patch at home lately and we hope to overcome that in this series", Saeed Anwar said. "We tried a few youngsters in the one-day series and found one or two capable players and hopefully we will play with a blend of youth and experience in the test", Anwar added.

Pakistan will miss the services of 'Rawalpindi Express' Shoaib Akhtar who is nursing an injury while all-rounder Azhar Mahmood is also down with groin problems and will perhaps miss the whole series.

The Pakistanis are sure to give one two test caps after naming five new players in the list of 18 named Wednesday. While Younis Khan is sure to start his test career after a mixed bag in the one-day series, Inzamam-ul-Haq is all set to make a comeback after a brief absence from the ODIs. Wajahatullah Wasti's success in the side match has solved the vacant opener's slot while Ijaz Ahmed should consider himself unlucky to lose the No. 3 place to Aamer Sohail after the former had played two potential, though not match-winning knocks, in the last two tests in Australia.

Since the curator at the Pindi Stadium has reportedly prepared a grassy pitch, Pakistan are likely to field four bowlers. While Wasim Akram and Abdur Razzaq are automatic choices, the tie for the third and fourth seamer will be between Waqar Younis, Mohammad Akram and young Irfan Fazil.

Teams (from): Pakistan: Saeed Anwar (Captain), Aamer Sohail, Wajahatullah Wasti, Imran Abbas, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Moin Khan, Yousuf Youhanna, Saqlain Mushtaq, Abdur Razzaq, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Akram, Naved Ashraf, Irfan Fazil, Waqar Younis, Bazid Khan and Shahid Afridi

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jauasuriya, Rumesh Kaluwitharana, Russel Arnold, Mahela Jayawardene, Marvan Atapattu, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Rangana Hertah, Upul Chandana, Muttiah Muralitharan, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Chaminda Vaas, Ravindra Pushpakumara and Nuwan Zoysa