Sri Lanka determined to sweep series

Lahore, Feb 18: A good contest is expected in the third and final one-day international encounter between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Qadhafi Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) despite the fact that the visitors have taken an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series.

Pakistan are keen to salvage their prestige by gaining a consolation win in the limited-overs series.At the same time, Sri Lanka are fired up by their victories at Karachi and Gujranwala and are determined to maintain their winning sequence to make a clean sweep.

An easy-paced pitch has been prepared for the match. If the teams bat to their potential this also could be a tall-scoring game. Sale of tickets is reported to be slow and enthusiasm for the match seems to have waned due to Pakistan's defeats in the first two games.

Paceman Shahid Nazir looks set to be re-inducted in theteam in place of Shoaib Akhtar, who had aggravated his groin during the Gujranwala match and is being rested so that heregains his fitness before the Test series begins on Feb 26.

A couple of more changes are likely in the Pakistan XI. Off-spinner Arshad Khan had nets with the home squad on Friday at stadium. It has been reported that he was being kept with the squad as he might be included in the Test team.

Sri Lankan vice-captain Mahela Jayawardena is down with flu but the team management intends to retain the winning combinationin the last match as well.However, decisionabout Jayawardena's inclusion is expected to be taken in the morning.

Former Test left-arm spinner Nadeem Ghauri will be the fourth man who will make debut as an international umpire at Lahore on Saturday. Ex-Test opener Sadiq Mohammad supervised his first international match at Karachi while Asad Rauf and Aleem Dar made their debut at Gujranwala.

Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar defended the policy of try out youngsters during the current series. "It will be unfair to try out youngsters during foreign tours. All promising youngsters are being given opportunities to prove their worth. They may be included in the team forforeign tours as the Pakistan team is to play quite a fewone-day international matches and Tests abroad," Saeed Anwar told Dawn on Friday.

Whilereplying about the prospects of the one-daymatchon Saturday, Saeed Anwar said: "Every effort will be made to win the match at Lahore and later the Test series. Victory in this match can boost the morale of the team."

Superior fielding has tilted the scales in favour of theSri Lankans in one-day series so far. Therefore, Pakistan will have to brace their fielding if they are keen to win this match.

Both sides have in their ranks fine stroke-players, who are capable of building good totals. The Pakistanibatting will revolve round Saeed Anwar, AamirSohail, Yousuf Youhana,Abdur Razzaq, Moin Khan, Wasim Akram, Azhar Mahmood and young Younis Khan. The visitors have equally dynamic batsmenlike skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana, MarvanAtapattu, Jayawardena, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Chaminda Vaas and Upul Chandana.

However, Pakistan's pace attack is more fearsome and varied. It will be led by Wasim Akram and have Shahid Nazir, Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood. The spin department is handled by off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and left-armer Aamir Sohail.

The Sri Lanka pace battery is led by Vaas and has got Pramodya Wickremasinghe and Nuwan Zoysa, who bowl at a good length and direction.They are well backed up by brilliant fielding. Muttiah Muralitharan is a world-class off-spinner and has already created a lot of problems for the Pakistani batsmen.

The toss is again going to be important factor. SaeedAnwar will be better advised to make first use of the batting pitch if hewins the toss again.His strategy to field first in the first two matches has completely backfired.

Pakistan: Saeed Anwar (captain), Aamir Sohail, Imran Abbas, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Abdur Razzaq, Moin Khan, Wasim Akram, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Nazir, Faisal Iqbal, Shoaib Malik, Imran Nazir.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Mahela Jayawardena, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Russel Arnold, Indika de Saram, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Muttiah Muralitharan, Upul Chandana, Indika Gallage.

Umpires: Mian Mohammad Aslam and Nadeem Ghauri.

TV Umpire: Sadiq Mohammad.

Reserve Umpire: Ijaz Ahmed.

Match Referee: Brian Hastings (New Zealand).