da brdice： Pakistan take on Sri Lanka Saturday in an encounter whichprovides Waqar Younis and his boys a chance to exact somerevenge of last April’s humiliating defeat in the final
da bet sport： 27-Oct-2001Pakistan take on Sri Lanka Saturday in an encounter whichprovides Waqar Younis and his boys a chance to exact somerevenge of last April’s humiliating defeat in the final.Having beaten Sri Lanka by comfortable margins in the leaguematches, Pakistan surrendered tamely in the final, now afamiliar occurring.On paper, Pakistan are more talented than Sri Lankans butsomehow the present team seems to choke in the quest fortrophy.Playing an international match after five months due to thecancellation of New Zealand visit, Pakistan should have noexcuses if they failed to deliver the goods as the playersare fresh having appeared in a domestic knockoutcompetition.Since their arrival here, Pakistan players had couple ofpractice sessions and if the team management is to bebelieved then everyone is fit and raring to go. But withplayers and team management kept under wrap and not allowedaccess to media, Saturday’s match would reveal the state offitness of the players.However, news leaked to the press indicate that all is notwell with at least two players Azhar Mahmood and ShoaibAkhtar, eternally fit for tours but unfit after sending downfew overs, was battling injuries.It is almost certain that Azhar will sit out today’s clashbut Shoaib is likely to make the team.With Inzamam-ul-Haq to watch the match from the cosyatmosphere of the dressing room, middle-order batsman NavedLatif is expected to win his first international cap at theexpense of Taufiq Omar.Sri Lanka on the other hand are expected to make one change.They may bring in Kumar Sangakkara in place of RomeshKaluwitharana who failed with the bat but had a good sessionbehind the stumps.With weather expected to be cooler and less humidity, a highscoring game is on cards as the wicket is hard, firm andideal for stroke-making.Probable teamsPakistan (from): Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, YousufYouhana, Shahid Afridi, Taufiq Omar, Naved Latif, WasimAkram, Abdur Razzaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria, ShoaibMalik, Younis Khan, Rashid Latif, Azhar Mahmood.Sri Lanka (from): S.Jayasuriya, M.Atapattu, A.Gunawardena, M. Jayawardena, R.Arnold, R. Kaluwitharana orK.Sangakkara, K. Dharmasena, C.Vaas, D.Fernando,M.Muralitharan, C.Buddika.
