Chandimal Fined for dissent and Hafeez Reprimanded

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, only Twenty20, Abu Dhabi

ESPNcricinfo staff

November 27, 2011

Sri Lankan batsman Dinesh Chandimal has been fined 10% of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire's decision during the one-off Twenty20 against Pakistan on Friday. The Pakistan opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez has been officially reprimanded for the same offence, in a separate incident.

Both batsmen showed their bats to the umpire after they were adjudged lbw. Chandimal, who top scored with 56, was dismissed by Aizaz Cheema while Hafeez fell to Thisara Perera for 13. Pakistan went on to win by five wickets with three balls to spare. Both players were guilty of breaching Level 1 offences.

"Accepting an umpire's decision is an essential feature of cricket and part of the game's unique spirit," said the ICC match referee Andy Pycroft. "These players' behaviour was not acceptable in any form of cricket and they must take responsibility for what they do."

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Cool Misbah Guides Pakistan Home in T20

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Only T20 at Abu Dhabi

An elated Pakistan team with the trophy after winning the only T20I against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Only T20 at Abu Dhabi, Nov 25th 2011
Sri Lanka won the Toss and bat First
Sri Lanka bowled out for 141 in 19.3 overs
D.Chandimal scored 56 and T.Dilshan scored 28 for Sri Lanka
Cheema took 4 wickets, Gul took 2, Hafeez and Ajmal with 1 wicket each, 2 Players were Run-out, Afridi was unlucky tonight He does'nt take any wicket unfortunately for Pakistan
In Reply, Pakistan achieve the Target in 19.3 overs.Pakistan scored 142/5
Misbah played a captains knock and scored 48* Asad Shafiq scored 33 and Afridi chipped in with 22 blazing Runs for Pakistan
Pakistan won the only T20 Match by 5 wickets
Pakistan won all Three Formats of the game in this series
Pakistan won 3-match Test series by 1-0,5-match ODI series by 4-1 and only T20 match as well...Keep Winning Pakistan..Good Luck for Future...:-)
Jeet Kay Geo Pakistan...Pakistan Zindabaad

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Misbah and Cheema take Pakistan to 5-wicket win in Only T20

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Only T20 international, Abu Dhabi

The Report by Siddhartha Talya

November 25, 2011

Pakistan 142 for 5 (Misbah 48*, Shafiq 33) beat Sri Lanka 141 (Chandimal 56, Cheema 4-30) by five wickets

There was no respite for Sri Lanka. In one of the more closely-fought encounters on this tour, it was Pakistan who prevailed by five wickets after their opponents promised to deliver better, only to falter and give it away. First, with their batting, when they began aggressively and scored at around nine an over in the first ten overs before slowing down considerably and eventually capitulating in the second half. And then it happened with the ball, their spinners putting them in control through tight spells and wickets, not knowing Dilhara Fernando and some fielders would fail to hold their nerve at the death.

Misbah-ul-Haq stood tall for Pakistan, doing what Dinesh Chandimal failed to achieve - seeing his team through to the end and finishing on a high. Pakistan's seamers did what their counterparts failed to do - Aizaz Cheema and Umar Gul cleaned up the innings, taking five wickets in the last two overs, to restrict the visitors to a chaseable score; on the other hand, Fernando doled out length deliveries that brought down the required-rate considerably.

Ajantha Mendis, returning from injury, and captain Tillakaratne Dilshan restrained Pakistan in their pursuit of 142 after Imran Farhat began brightly. He inaugurated the innings with three crisp boundaries off the first over of the innings but brought on to bowl in the sixth over, inside the Powerplay, Mendis struck, removing Farhat, who holed out. Umar Akmal's first-ball duck was crucial in reducing the tempo of the innings further when he adventurously made room to Dilshan and was bowled playing inside the line.

The next four overs yielded just 19, but at one end was Misbah, building up for a flourish at a later stage. He warmed up by slogging a six off Dilruwan Perera over midwicket and triggered the turn in the tide when 43 were needed off four overs, Afridi just having joined him at the other end.

Fernando dropped slightly short to be pulled to the square boundary, and then overcompensated by bowling too full; Misbah unleashed a cracking drive through cover and whipped a full toss behind square to make it 14 in the over. Mendis still had an over left, but Dilshan gave Fernando another go, much to, presumably, his regret. Two length balls followed in the penultimate over - Cheema picked up three wickets at the same stage in the Sri Lankan innings while aiming at the blockhole - and Afridi dispatched them over long-on and deep midwicket. Though he fell off the final delivery, he'd brought down the equation to nine off the last over.

The win was hastened by a botched-up fielding attempt. The first ball of the final over, Misbah drove Malinga to long-off. What should have been a single became two as the fielder took time to get to the ball, and if that wasn't enough, his wayward throw, missed first by Kumar Sangakkara and then by the short fine leg backing up awkwardly, resulted in six runs in total. With two needed off four, Shoaib Malik edged one wide of third man to seal victory with Sri Lanka still appealing desperately, thinking it was a deflection off the pad.

Though Cheema was the star towards the end of Sri Lanka's innings, it was Saeed Ajmal who started the slide. Ajmal's variations have played a major role in his rise to the No.1 spot in the ODI rankings and with expert changes in flight, pace and his mastery over the doosra, he choked Sri Lanka. In a potentially risky move, he was brought on inside the Powerplay, like Mendis, and was launched over mid-off not long after. The next ball, though, was generously flighted and Dilshan was tempted into the slog-sweep which he top-edged to offer a comfortable catch. Ajmal was particularly effective round the wicket, the batsmen often caught confused about the direction of his turn.

Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez slowed down the innings further, making boundaries a rare commodity. Sangakkara, Sri Lanka's best batsman, chipped a catch back to Hafeez while Angelo Mathews and Chamara Silva, from whom the visitors would have expected a surge at the death, were run out. Racing to 91 for 3 at the end of 10 overs, Sri Lanka only managed 50 in the next ten. Cheema added the finishing touches by making up for his troubles early on. In the penultimate over, he trapped Chandimal in front, had Thisara Perera caught behind and bowled Malinga. Sri Lanka fell way short of the target they were on track for. They met with the same fate with the ball.

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World Twenty20 plans begin here

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, only Twenty20, Abu Dhabi

The Preview by Nitin Sundar

November 24, 2011

Match facts
Friday, November 25
Start time 20:00 (16:00 GMT)

Big Picture

Twenty20 might have become the origin of everything that is bad (or good, depending on your affiliation) about cricket, but the international Twenty20 game has had almost no role to play in that development. Consider these stats: we have had 32 Tests so far in 2011 and 139 ODIs - a number inflated by the World Cup, no doubt - but only a piddling 19 Twenty20 internationals. Comparing that number against the 74 fixtures IPL 2011 alone had, gives you even better perspective of the space T20Is occupy.

T20Is have been reduced to irrelevant one- or two-match series, shoe-horned at either end of long bilateral tours. The stakes are so low that teams don't take these games seriously. A part of the reason is the quirky scheduling of the World Twenty20. Initially planned as a biannual event that would lend context to the format, it made three London-bus appearances in four years, before hibernating out of our conscious. The next edition will be held in September 2012 in Sri Lanka, and teams will want to start drawing up plans now, after a year dominated by the World Cup and a clutch of marquee Test series.

Sri Lanka haven't looked like winning anything in the longer formats since the World Cup. Indeed, they have lost all their Test and ODI series since then. However, in that same period, they have been unbeaten in Twenty20s, and are in the middle of an impressive sequence of five successive wins. They will be desperate to extend that run and build momentum in the lead-up to the World Twenty at home, even as they seek succour from their reversals in the other formats.

Pakistan have always impressed in Twenty20s, a six-match losing run last year notwithstanding. They have won the World Twenty20 once, and made the final and the semi-finals on the other two occasions. Their fortunes next year will hinge on how the team responds to Misbah-ul-Haq's leadership. His safety-first method has been an unequivocal success in the Test and ODI versions, but it remains to be seen whether it will work in Twenty20s.

Form guide

Pakistan: WWLWL (most recent first)
Sri Lanka: WWWWW

Watch out for …

Misbah-ul-Haq is now known for his equanimity as much as his poetic forward defence. He has moulded the Pakistan side in his own image, leading to the increasing popularity of the hash-tag #TeamMisbah on Twitter. When he first announced himself, Misbah was anything but the obdurate middle-order milker that he has become now. He lit up the inaugural World Twenty20 with a bunch of audacious innings that took Pakistan to within a shot of glory. Which version of Misbah will be on display in this game?

At various points during the tour Tillakaratne Dilshan has looked tired, indignant, sad and frustrated. By the end of the ODI series, with his form and his side's fortunes in a seemingly terminal slump, his dominant expression seemed to suggest resignation. The chance to thrash it around in the shortest format should lift his spirits; on Friday, no one will question his shot-selection if he gets out playing those loose on-the-up heaves.

Team news

In Mahela Jayawardene's absence, Sri Lanka might be forced to open with Dinesh Chandimal, unless Upul Tharanga gets a look in. Given his poor ODI form, that is unlikely.

Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 2 Dinesh Chandimal, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Chamara Silva, 5 Dimuth Karunaratne, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Dilruwan Perera/Kosala Kulasekara, 9 Thisara Perara, 10 Lasith Malinga, 10 Dilhara Fernando

Pakistan have 14 fit players in their squad, of which Abdur Rehman and Sarfraz Ahmed are almost sure to miss out.

Pakistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Farhat/Asad Shafiq, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Umar Akmal (wk), 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Aizaz Cheema, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Saeed Ajmal

Stats and trivia

There's a Pakistan traffic-jam at the head of the list of leading wicket-takers in the format. Shahid Afridi has 53, followed by Umar Gul (47) and Saeed Ajmal (45). How Sri Lanka would have loved to have No. 4 on that list - Ajantha Mendis - fit and available.
Dilshan is one of only five T20I centurions. Jayawardene is another, but like Mendis, he isn't around for this game

Quotes

"It will be a new game on Friday and a change of format, so I hope the players lift themselves."
Tillakaratne Dilshan hopes a change in format will lead to a change in fortunes

"He still has a lot of cricket in him and just needs one innings to get back in touch."
Misbah-ul-Haq backs Shoaib Malik to come good soon

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Mohammad Khalil replaces Junaid Khan for Bangladesh tour

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Abu Dhabi

Umar Farooq in Abu Dhabi

November 23, 2011

Mohammad Khalil, the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited left-arm seamer, has been named as Junaid Khan's replacement in Pakistan's Test, ODI and Twenty20 squads for the Bangladesh tour. Khalil, who has not played for Pakistan since 2005, got the call-up after Junaid picked up a partial strain in his abdominal muscle during Pakistan's one-day series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates.

Khalil, 29, is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One, with 43 wickets from seven games. Twenty-one-year-old left-arm quick Sadaf Hussain, who also has 43 wickets in the current season, has been ignored, while Tanvir Ahmed and Wahab Riaz continue to be left out.

Mohammad Ilyas, Pakistan's interim chief selector, said it had been a tough decision and made special mention of Sadaf, saying he would be given an opportunity at some stage. "We had a four-hour deliberation to choose Junaid's replacement out of four potential bowlers and Khalil's name was finalised by consensus of the team management and the national selection committee," Ilyas told ESPNcricinfo.

"It was a tough call. They [the four candidates] all have talent but we had to choose one. It is a positive sign that we have such strong bench strength. Those who were not selected should not be discouraged, especially Sadaf. He is a future prospect and definitely will be handed a chance, but at the right time. This time Khalil was the best option. He is in the best form and condition of his career and has taken most of his [domestic] wickets against good teams."

The first time Khalil was picked in a Pakistan squad was for the Test series against Bangladesh in 2003-04. He didn't get a game then but played three ODIs and a Test on the tour of Australia in 2004-05. He managed five wickets in the ODIs but went wicketless in the Test and again failed to get a wicket when he played the Kolkata Test on Pakistan's 2005 tour of India. He went back to domestic cricket and finished the 2010-11 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy as the third-highest wicket-taker with 61 wickets at an average of 19.24.

Junaid is out of cricket for six weeks after he sustained a partial tear in his abdominal muscle while bowling during the fifth ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi. He will have to undergo rest and then rehabilitation. Junaid impressed in the Test series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, taking 12 wickets over the three Tests. He was left out for the first four ODIs but replaced Cheema for the dead rubber in Abu Dhabi. He bowled just three overs before leaving the field after experiencing pain in his abdomen. He was taken to hospital for an MRI scan and it was discovered he had a partial tear in his right abdominal muscle that will need six-weeks recovery time.

Khalil joins Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema and Mohammad Talha in the pace department for the Tests in Bangladesh, while the ODI squad has Sohail Tanvir along with Gul and Cheema.

Abdul Razzaq, the experienced allrounder, is also a doubt for the Bangladesh tour after he picked up a right shoulder injury in the third ODI against Sri Lanka. The PCB have not yet named a replacement for him.

The tour of Bangladesh begins with a one-off Twenty20 in Mirpur on November 29, after which there will be three ODIs and two Tests.

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Jayasuriya calls for persistence with young team

Pakistan v Sri Lanka 2011-12

Umar Farooq in Abu Dhabi

November 24, 2011

Sanath Jayasuriya, the former Sri Lanka captain, has said Sri Lanka need to maintain faith in their young side and new captain despite the team's recent rough patch. Since reaching the final of the 2011 World Cup, Sri Lanka have lost one-day and Test series in England, at home to Australia and against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. Jayasuriya admitted results had been disappointing but said Sri Lanka were in transition since they have a new captain in Tillakaratne Dilshan, a new coach in Geoff Marsh and several young players in the squad.

"It's a bit disappointing to lose both the series," Jayasuriya said after the losses in the UAE. "It would have been ideal had we won at least one series. However, Sri Lanka are playing a number of youngsters so you need to give them some time. You can't keep changing the side. There are quite a few senior players and when they retire you need players who are already groomed to replace them.

"These are hard times for Sri Lankan cricket but we have talented players; the only thing they need is time, and we need to put faith in them and give them confidence."

Dilshan, who took over as captain from Kumar Sangakkara after the World Cup, has struggled to reproduce the form he showed in that tournament. Since the World Cup, he has averaged 17.43 with the bat in 16 ODIs, while in Tests he has averaged 24.81 over the previous two series. Jayasuriya backed Dilshan to come good and said he needed to be persisted with as captain.

"He [Dilshan] is a great player and we all have seen what he can do, but unfortunately he is going through a lean patch, so we need to have faith in him. He has just got the job and anybody who takes the captaincy needs time."

Since the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan last year, Sri Lanka have had an inexperienced bowling attack, but it was the batting that let them down in the UAE. Jayasuriya said the batsmen were not aggressive enough in the Test series and lamented the fact that none of the batsmen lent support to Sangakkara, who waged a lone battle, scoring 516 runs in the Tests. Sri Lanka's second-highest run-getter in the series was Tharanga Paranavitana with 195 runs.

"In the Tests, there were times when we did not look for runs and got bogged down," Jayasuriya said. "You need to have a decent run-rate to win a Test. The only batsman in form was Kumar Sangakkara but you need three or four batsmen to be among the runs. I didn't see others chipping in with runs and that's what Sri Lanka lacked."

Sri Lankan cricket has been in a serious financial crisis since spending a total of five billion rupees ($46 million) on stadiums for the World Cup. As a result the players have not been paid their salaries in the last six months, but Jayasuriya said that was not something that would affect their on-field performances.

"The previous board made a lot of mistakes and are responsible for this mess, and then the earlier interim committee made things worse. It is disappointing [not to be paid]. But when you play for your country you forget everything and that is what the players are doing. I am happy that they have not spoken about that."

Upali Dharmadasa, the chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket's interim committee, had said he was hopeful the players would be paid after the series in the UAE since SLC were expecting to receive the remaining payments of around US$ 4.3 million from the ICC for hosting the 2011 World Cup shortly.

Sri Lanka will play a one-off Twenty20 international against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on November 25 and then go to South Africa in early December to play three Tests and five ODIs.

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Misbah thrilled with outstanding performance of Pakistan Team

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Abu Dhabi

Umar Farooq

November 23, 2011

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, has termed his side's 4-1 humbling of World Cup finalists Sri Lanka in the one-day series in UAE an "outstanding performance". Pakistan have won all their bilateral ODI series this year, against New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland, Zimbabwe and now Sri Lanka.

"It good to see us beating a top-ranked side 4-1, and I congratulate my side for this," Misbah said after the victory in the fifth match in Abu Dhabi. "I am happy because the team is improving and performing so well. The goal is to improve day by day and we want to extend the victory succession. This team has now been playing together for almost a year and a half, so it is now getting good experience and developing into a good team."

In UAE, Misbah had the experience of three former captains - Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi - to fall back on, while a number of youngsters also performed creditably. Misbah was happy with the combination of youth and experience available at his disposal.

"I am really pleased to have a mixture of junior and senior players," he said. "They are understanding their roles and responsibilities, and I am very happy with the way they are fulfilling the duty. Now you can say that it's an experienced side, and I foresee a good future for my team."

The win allowed Pakistan to climb to fifth spot in the ICC rankings, their best rating in recent times as they look to shrug off the tumultuous after-effects of the spot-fixing scandal. The depth of their bowling options gave Pakistan the edge in the series, in addition to their reserve strength.

"Our bench strength and the playing XI are outstanding, and this is the main reason team is performing well," Misbah said. "It's a tough competition in the bowling department as whoever is handed a chance to play is performing. The idea is to rotate the circle and try out every one accordingly, and so far everyone is taking the opportunity well."

Misbah backed the returning allrounder Shoab Malik, who endured a torrid time in the two chances he got, making scores of 2 and 0. "Malik came in after an outstanding performance in Pakistan [at the domestic level] but he is going through tough time and this happens sometimes in your career.

"He is batting well at the nets as well but it happens that sometimes you aren't able to score runs at the top level. But he is still a good batsman and a match-winner for the team. So he still has a lot of cricket in him and just needs one innings to get back in touch."

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Batsmen needs to take responsibility - Dilshan

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Abu Dhabi

Umar Farooq

November 23, 2011

Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, has asked his batsmen to take responsibility and arrest their worrying slide, after his team shuddered to a 4-1 defeat in the ODI series against Pakistan.

"I can still take positives, especially from the bowling unit - who did a great job throughout the series," Dilshan said, after the loss in the fifth ODI in Abu Dhabi. "[However], we must be worried about the batting as most of the batsmen didn't click. We played seven batsmen, but in every match only two or three were performing and the rest were failing. So there are some areas of concern that we have to sit down to discuss. Everyone has to take responsibility before going to South Africa."

While the one-sided scoreline suggests otherwise, Sri Lanka were in strong positions in a couple of games that they went on to lose. Dilshan admitted the inability to close out matches from winning positions cost his side. "The third and fourth ODIs, we should have won easy. At some stages we were going very well, but we didn't finish and hence lost the series. Otherwise we would have won the series 3-2."

Dilshan has endured a horror run with the bat since taking over as the full-time captain, but brushed aside the general impression that captaincy was denting his own form. "I took over the captaincy in England series and got good runs," he said. "Unfortunately, I broke my finger and after then I didn't play enough. After the injury I am lacking in confidence and form. But I know I am good and I can get runs. I want to go back to Sri Lanka work on few areas to get back my form."

Sri Lanka lost the Test series 1-0 prior to the ODI defeat against Pakistan. Their next assignment is in South Africa, where they are yet to register a Test win, and have generally struggled over the years.

"We have three weeks before the next tour starts," Dilshan said. "I think the batting group should be working on some area. It's better that we can go back to the Sri lankan domestic season and every one can play at least two-three matches to get the form. Everyone knows there are mistakes, and they can correct them quickly before going to South Africa - that is on the mind at the moment."

Dilshan further described Pakistan as a better side than his own. "They have more good players, with more options on the bench. They have seven bowlers out of whom, most can bat as well. So they are not a bad side, they are a good ODI side and in Tests as well."

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Pakistan wrap-up 5-Match ODI series by 4-1

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI at Abu Dhabi
Misbah-ul-Haq's 66 guided Pakistan to a three-wicket win in Abu Dhabi to take the series 4-1 against Sri Lanka
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI at Abu Dhabi, 23ed Nov 2011
Sri Lanka Won the toss and bat 1st
Sri Lanka scored 218/9 in 50 overs
S.Tanvir took 4 wickets for Pakistan while Junaid,Ajmal,Hafeez,Afridi and Gul chipped in with 1 wicket each
In Reply, Pakistan chase down the Target in 47.2 overs Pakistan scored 219/7
Misbah played a captains Innings, He scored 66 Runs,U.Akmal scored 61*
Pakistan won by 3 wickets & also win the 5-mtch ODI Series 4-1 and also Pakistan Team retain their 5th Spot in ICC ODI Team Rankings with 108 Points
Now, Just a T20 game remained in this successful Home-Series for Pakistan in UAE
T20 game will be played in Abu Dhabi on Friday, 25th Nov 2011
In Sha ALLAH Pakistan will also win this game and ended this series on a
winning-note...
Good Luck Pakistan Team..We love u..Keep winning..Jeet kay Geo Pakistan Team:-)

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Umar Akmal and Sohail Tanvir make it 4-1 for Pakistan

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Abu Dhabi

The Report by Siddhartha Talya

November 23, 2011

Pakistan 219 for 7 (Misbah 66, Umar 61*, J Mendis 3-36) beat Sri Lanka 218 for 9 (Sangakkara 78, Mathews 61, Tanvir 4-34) by three wickets

A four-wicket haul from Sohail Tanvir and a fluent stand between captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal were the stand-out features of Pakistan's convincing win - they took the series 4-1 - in the dead rubber played on a slow pitch. The pair didn't get bogged down at the fall of two wickets off successive deliveries and their positive approach kept their team on track, but the platform for a win was set up by a superior bowling attack that restricted Sri Lanka, whose batting let them down again, to a gettable total.

Plenty of talent and depth in their bowling reserves served Pakistan well again. In conditions that were aiding swing and movement initially, and not discounting the advantage of using new balls at each end, Pakistan's seamers stepped up, and were supported by their spinners later on. Tanvir didn't have the pace of the man he replaced, Aizaz Cheema, but made up with his prodigious swing - by Middle East standards - and wily, selective variations. He fooled opener Upul Tharanga with an away swinger after feeding him three deliveries on the trot that moved in through the air. He was more threatening when he pitched the ball short of a driving length, something he realised quickly after being driven down the ground by Dinesh Chandimal. He worked at him with a spate of away-going deliveries and held one back a little more, prompting an attempt at a steer from Chandimal that was snapped up by slip.

In the interim, Umar Gul forced a loose shot from Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was caught behind. Thirty two for 3 soon became 46 for 4 when Chamara Silva, replacing an injured Mahela Jayawardene, was sucked in by a length ball that he nicked straight to slip, giving Junaid Khan a wicket in his first over.

The only batsman unflustered by the travails around him was Kumar Sangakkara, once again charged with the responsibility of rebuilding his team's innings. Despite the early assistance for the seamers, he didn't hesitate lurching forward to execute his favourite drives past extra cover on one knee, and took Tanvir for three fours in an over. The spinners, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal, erred on occasion, and Sangakkara was quick to latch on. He found an able partner at No.6 in Angelo Mathews, who counterattacked by launching Gul for two straight sixes when that early support from the conditions had withered away, and ran superbly between wickets.

Sangakkara and Mathews did an admirable job, rotating the strike and not getting bogged down in a stand of 118. The field was spread out but a significant proportion of their runs were singles earned by just tapping the ball around the in-field, often in front of cover and point, and sprinting across. The boundaries, however, had dried up and when Sangakkara tried to break the 14-over drought with a drive over extra cover against Mohammad Hafeez, he was caught. Not long after, Jeevan Mendis was stumped off Afridi and Mathews, who'd survived a couple of close shaves while walking across to Ajmal, was eventually bowled round his legs. Sri Lanka only managed two fours and a six in the second half of their innings, struggling to push on as the track got increasingly slow and Tanvir returned to nip out a couple more.

Pakistan began their pursuit cautiously, going through a 24-ball runless phase at one stage, but Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq, in particular, were beginning to get set before losing their wickets. The experienced hands of Younis Khan and Misbah, however, guided them in typical, workmanlike fashion. Misbah was given a life at backward point by Jeevan Mendis, but consolidated well amid periodic bursts of aggression. Younis pulled Fernando past square leg and drove Prasanna inside-out over extra cover. Misbah warmed up by launching a length ball over Mathews' head, blazed Perera through the covers and reverse-swept a couple of boundaries past short third man.

In a little over ten overs together, the pair added a half-century stand and strengthened Pakistan's position. That was undermined when Younis and Shoaib Malik were trapped in front by Mendis off consecutive deliveries in the 26th over. The hat-trick ball was an early indication of the Pakistani response - Umar stepped out to a flighted delivery and drove it confidently to mid-off, seemingly unaffected by the pressure created by those two wickets. The final ball of the over was a long hop that was promptly dispatched, and the tone of his innings changed little after that.

Umar often left his crease to get to the pitch of the ball and comfortably kept the runs flowing. Misbah, on the other hand, opted to play from the crease, sweeping, reverse-sweeping, shuffling from one side to the other restlessly but effectively and keeping the required-rate under control throughout. The boundaries came from the other end: Umar muscled Thisara Perera through the covers, guided Malinga past third man, swatted Dilhara Fernando through midwicket and creamed Seekkuge Prasanna past mid-off. There was a slight hiccup when Misbah and Afridi fell in quick succession, but Pakistan were secure with Umar at the other end; the pressure was off with a couple of crunched boundaries off Malinga and Fernando, and the win followed shortly after.

Match Summary

Innings	Dot Balls	4s  &  6s	PP1        PP2        PP3	Last 10 overs	NB/Wides
Sri Lanka	151	13       3	35/3       16/0       20/1	47/4	0/11
Pakistan	152	20       0	31/1       22/0       28/0	41/3	08

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Junaid Khan to miss Bangladesh tour

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Abu Dhabi

ESPNcricinfo staff

November 23, 2011

Junaid Khan, the Pakistan fast bowler, will be out of cricket for six weeks after sustaining a partial tear in his abdominal muscle while bowling during the fifth ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, Naushad Ali, the Pakistan associate manager, has told ESPNcricinfo. Junaid will have to undergo rest and then rehabilitation, and will miss Pakistan's tour of Bangladesh, which starts with a Twenty20 international on November 29. He will also miss the one-off Twenty20 against Sri Lanka that will be played in Abu Dhabi on November 25.

Junaid was in the Twenty20, ODI and Test squad for the Bangladesh tour. Naushad said the team would only decide on Junaid's replacement for the Bangladesh tour and the Twenty20 against Sri Lanka in the team meeting after the fifth ODI. Abdul Razzaq, the experienced allrounder, is also a doubt for the Bangladesh tour after he picked up a right shoulder injury in the third ODI against Sri Lanka.

"We have yet to decided about his replacement but he definitely will be heading home, where he will complete his rehabilitation process," Naushad said. "His replacement is obviously important as we have already lost Razzaq but will be decided in the team meeting after the ongoing match."

Pakistan's squad for the Tests in Bangladesh includes Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema and Mohammad Talha, while the ODI squad has Sohail Tanvir in the pace department along with Gul and Cheema. Junaid impressed in the Test series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, taking 12 wickets over the three Tests. He was left out for the first four ODIs but replaced Cheema for the dead rubber in Abu Dhabi. He bowled just three overs before leaving the field after experiencing pain in his abdomen. He was taken to hospital for an MRI scan and it was discovered he had a partial tear in his right abdominal muscle that will need six-weeks recovery time.

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Can Sri Lanka win 5th and Final ODI at Abu Dhabi?

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Abu Dhabi

The Preview by Nitin Sundar

November 22, 2011

Match facts
Wednesday, November 23
Start time 15:00 (11:00 GMT)

Big Picture

What is ailing Sri Lankan cricket? In the past eight months, following the World cup, they have played eight series across formats against top-flight teams, and gone on to lose six of them. The two victories came in Twenty20 series, if that term can be used to describe one- and two-match Twenty20 shoot-outs. Their decline in Test cricket was not a complete surprise, given how much the side depended on Muttiah Muralitharan, but the ODI slump cannot be easily explained.

The answer lies in the batting numbers: since the World Cup final, Sri Lanka's top order, with one notable exception, has endured significant drops in their batting averages. The captain Tillakaratne Dilshan has been the biggest offender, scoring 267 runs at a pitiful average of 17.80. Kumar Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga have also been poor imitations of their usual pace-setting selves at the top of the order, while Angelo Mathews is going through his worst phase since emerging as a world-class allrounder. Mahela Jayawardene is the one man who has managed to steer clear of the Sri Lankan batting nadir. He delivered them their only win in this series with a sparkling half-century in the second game. Jayawardene won't be playing Wednesday's dead rubber because of a knee injury.

Sri Lanka's chances of a face-saving win are further blighted by the prime form of the Pakistan bowling unit. Saeed Ajmal is among the most dangerous offspinners going around now, while Mohammad Hafeez adds another dimension with his mix of straight ones and straighter ones. Umar Gul has been exemplary with the new ball, while Aizaz Cheema has shown that he belongs at this level. Pakistan's worries, if any, will be on the batting front too. But if their bowlers continue to be unplayable, it won't matter. And if all else fails, they still have Shahid Afridi.

Form guide

Pakistan: WWLWW (most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LLWLW

Watch out for …

At the risk of stating the obvious, don't take your eyes off Shahid Afridi. He batted responsibly in the fourth ODI, curtailing his instincts for the most part of his innings, and still needed only 65 balls for his 75. Later, he slid clumsily while attempting to save a boundary in the outfield and got his knee stuck in the turf. It was the sort of injury that stalled Simon Jones' career for four years. Afridi came back after three overs, limped through his run-up and ripped out five wickets. Expect the X-man celebration to make a few appearances in Abu Dhabi.

Lasith Malinga has largely been off the boil in this series. His six wickets have come at nearly five runs per over, and three of those dismissals came in a single match-winning effort. Given how patchy Pakistan's batting form has been thus far in the series, he will be targeting their toes on Wednesday. Can his yorkers provide Sri Lanka some succour?

Team news

Shoiab Malik looked out of place on his return to the side. Pakistan have three front-line spinning options even without him, and Misbah-ul-Haq will be tempted to bring back Abdul Razzaq into the XI. With the series in the bag, Gul might be in line for a break, in which case Junaid Khan could get a well-deserved chance.

Pakistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Farhat, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Abdul Razzaq/Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 9 Umar Gul/Junai Khan, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Aizaz Cheema

Jayawardene's absence could pave the way for Dimuth Karunaratne's inclusion in the Sri Lankan XI, unless Chamara Silva is ready to play after being called up two days ahead of the game. Angelo Mathews' form is likely to be a huge worry, but Sri Lanka don't have the reserves to afford him a break now.

Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Dimuth Karunaratne/Chamara Silva, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Seekkuge Prasanna, 11 Dilhara Fernando

Stats and trivia

Tillakaratne Dilshan is yet to hit his first six in ODIs since taking over as full-time Sri Lankan captain - he has led in 15 one-dayers
Pakistan have featured in each of the 16 games played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, winning nine of them
Sri Lanka have lost two of their three games here, with the win coming in the dead rubber of a three-match series

Quotes

"As a captain I can't do anything to change the players' game. As a unit we have to take responsibility. As captain I am disappointed to lose, and we need to sit down and think where we can start again before the South Africa series."
Will Sri Lanka make the fresh start that Tillakaratne Dilshan desires in Abu Dhabi?

"When you have a good atmosphere around you, then you try your best to deliver. I was overjoyed by the support in Sharjah where they cheered my singles, so I was happy to put my head down initially."
An adoring crowd can make Shahid Afridi do anything, even bat sensibly

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Batsmen failed to take responsibility - Dilshan

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Sharjah

Umar Farooq in Sharjah

November 21, 2011

Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, has criticised his batsmen's inability to take ownership of a modest chase during the fourth ODI against Pakistan in Sharjah, a defeat that cost them the five-match series. Chasing 201, Sri Lanka were on course to level the series at 155 for 3 before they collapsed, losing seven wickets for 19 runs.

"It's unbelievable to lose seven wickets for 20 odd runs," Dilshan said. "[Shahid] Afridi batted and bowled well, but it was really disappointing to lose from a winning position. We were in a good position but we relaxed and no one took the responsibility. As a batting unit we should have finished the game.

"As a captain I can't do anything to change the players' game. As a team unit we have to take responsibility."

Since the 2011 World Cup, Sri Lanka have lost Test and ODI series to England, Australia and Pakistan. Dilshan, however, said he didn't think his leadership would come under scrutiny.

"I don't know what their [Sri Lanka Cricket] views are but I was appointed captain until the South Africa series [in December] so I didn't think [about being removed] but lets see how things goes on."

Dilshan also called for the younger players in his side to take the opportunities they're being given. "We are giving opportunities to the young players and they have to grab them. But at this point they aren't and are throwing their wickets sometimes. They have to learn and show that they are ready for international cricket."

Sri Lanka have already lost the one-day series to Pakistan 1-3 with a match to go in Abu Dhabi, followed by a Twenty20 international on November 25. "We have to finish the series in a strong manner," Dilshan said.

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Chamara Silva joined Sri Lanka's squad in the UAE

Pakistan v Sri Lanka 2011

ESPNcricinfo staff

November 21, 2011

Chamara Silva, a middle-order batsman, has joined Sri Lanka's squad in the UAE as back up for Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene, who are both injured.

While the extent of Dilshan's niggle is not known, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) already announced that Jayawardene will not be considered for selection for the Twenty20 international against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on November 25.

SLC also said that fast bowlers Nuwan Kulasekera, Dhammika Prasad and Shaminda Eranga, as well as wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene, will not be considered for the Test series in South Africa because of injuries.

Sri Lanka lost the five-ODI series against Pakistan after a third defeat in Sharjah on November 20. The final one-dayer is in Abu Dhabi on November 23, followed by the T20 two days later. Sri Lanka's tour of South Africa begins with a tour match on December 9, followed by the first Test on December 15.

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"I Had a point to prove" - Afridi

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Sharjah

Umar Farooq in Sharjah

November 21, 2011

Shahid Afridi has said that he had a "point to prove" after his match-winning performance in Sharjah helped Pakistan secure the one-day series against Sri Lanka 3-1 with a game in hand. Afridi scored 75 before taking 5 for 35, becoming the only cricketer to score a half-century and take five wickets in two ODIs, leading Pakistan to a 26-run win in a low-scoring contest.

"I had a point to prove and actions speak louder than words," said Afridi, who had come out of conditional retirement before the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. "There were a lot of challenges and there were a lot things that I had to prove wrong [about me].

"I know there is a lot of expectation from me and I too understand how my batting could help the team. I am doing exactly according to the demand, as I made my comeback with an aim and goal. Now I want to play cricket and nothing else, and focus on my game."

Afridi began his innings with Pakistan in disarray at 71 for 5 in the 24th over. While wickets continued to fall at the other end, he batted with authority and control, scoring 75 off 65 balls to drive his team to 200, a defendable target on a slow pitch.

"I was expected to take singles, instead of sixes," Afridi said. "I am feeling great to have such a great performance, which helped Pakistan win. Earlier, when I was batting, I got the message from Misbah [ul-Haq] to bat for the whole (50) overs. I tried my best at my end with Saeed Ajmal, who did a great job."

Sri Lanka, however, were cruising towards the target, having reached 155 for 3 in the 38th over with Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene batting fluently. Afridi began Pakistan's fightback by bowling Sangakkara for 58.

"When Sri Lanka were in a winning position, the captain [Misbah] said we needed just one wicket, and I was lucky that I got Sangakkara out," Afridi said. "Then we were able to change the situation."

Afridi dismissed Jayawardene as well, for 55, and ripped through the lower order to complete a five-wicket haul. When Thisara Perera skied the ball and was caught by Umar Akmal in the 46th over, Sri Lanka had lost seven wickets for 19 runs to be dismissed for 174. Misbah's leadership, Afridi said, was ideal.

"The way Misbah is leading, it's great and the management is very good," he said. "I want seniors to take more responsibility [though], because I don't want youngsters to be told in every meeting that they must improve. So I want to set some examples for the new players."

Misbah gave Afridi his due but also praised his players for a team effort. "The main thing is the collective effort," he said. "Every individual is performing in different matches and a collective effort is seen. Every player is playing his role."

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Waqar Younis praises Afridi’s all-round show

Former Pakistan captain and coach Waqar Younis praises Shahid Afridi’s superb performance with both bat and ball last night against Sri Lanka and said that it is a result of the newfound focus, he found after his temporary retirement.

Afridi contributed 75 runs and 5 wickets to his team’s series-winning success. He rescued the team in both the departments at critical junctures. When the opponents were just 46 runs away from the victory, Afridi bowled tremendously and triggered an astonishing collapse of their batting line-up.

Afridi silenced his critics with his brilliant allround show and has earned immense admiration from all corners.

Remember, Afridi went away from International cricket just due to his tussle with the then coach, Waqar Younis, who tried to intervene in team affairs, to the displeasure of Khan. Shortly after Afridi’s conditional retirement, Waqar, who mentored the team for at least two years, also relinquishing the coaching job.

“He has always been an exceptionally talented player but has not done justice to his talent but in this series, he appears focused and wants to prove a point and that is why he is succeeding,” Waqar said after the match.

Waqar said Afridi had looked a match winner as a bowler throughout the series but his batting on Sunday was mature and exceptional.

“He took his time to build his innings as there were plenty of overs to play and he played a great knock for Pakistan which needs more such innings from him,” Waqar said.

Not surprisingly, Afridi made no mention of Waqar’s contribution to the team or to him at the post-match presentation instead praising interim coach Mohsin Khan for being a support for him.

“My coach Mohsin Khan has backed me all the way and supported me and Misbah-ul-Haq has led the side very well and given me confidence. I am enjoying doing well for my country,” Afridi said.

Earlier, he also cleared that he had no issues playing under Misbah and said the captain had backed him even after Sri Lanka appeared to be cruising to a win when Sangakkara and Jayawardene were batting together in a century partnership.

For the flamboyant Afridi, the Sri Lanka series has been a triumphant return for him to the team after a much publicised dispute with Waqar that led to him losing his captaincy after the West Indies tour in May and his decision to retire in protest.

Afridi only made himself available for selection after Ijaz Butt tenure completed, with whom he had developed serious differences. And soo with the arrival of new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Zaka Ashraf, and new coach, Mohsin Khan, the veteran all-rounder has come back to the camp.

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Shahid Afridi scored 75 and took 5 wickets as Pakistan won the ODI series against Sri Lanka

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 4th ODI at Sharjah

Shahid Afridi scored 75 and took 5 wickets as Pakistan won the ODI series against Sri Lanka
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 4th ODI at Sharjah, 20th Nov 2011
Pakistan won the Toss and Bat 1st
Pakistan scored 200 all out in (49.3) overs
Boom Boom Afridi played a superb knock of 75,Ajmal also played a Handy 20 runs innings
In reply,Sri Lanka were Done and Dusted by Pakistan
Sri Lanka all out for just 174 runs in 45.2 overs
at one stage Sri Lanka were 155/3 but Afridi (The Great) took 5 wicket for just 35 runs and win the game for Green Shirts
Pakistan win by 26 runs and win the 5-match ODI series 3-1 with one ODI to go,which is on Wednesday Nov 23 2011 at Abu Dhabi

Jeet Kay Geo Pakistan n Pakistan Team...!!
Pakistan Zindabad....!!..:-)

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Afridi single-handedly delivers Pakistan 3-1 series win

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Sharjah

The Report by Nitin Sundar

November 20, 2011

Pakistan 200 (Afridi 75, Fernando 3-26) beat Sri Lanka 174 (Sangakkara 58, Jayawardene 55, Afridi 5-35)

Sharjah's die-hard cricket tragics waited eight years to see their favourite team in one-day action. They went back, sated by five unforgettable vistas of Shahid Afridi's trademark arms-aloft celebration, as he single-handedly pipped Sri Lanka in a dramatic finish. Chasing 201 to level the series, Sri Lanka were on course with Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara reducing the equation to 46 needed off 74 balls. Afridi was, however, reading from a script no-one else had access to. He derailed the lower order with a mix of legbreaks, googlies and fastish offspinners, as Sri Lanka floundered hopelessly to lose their last seven wickets for just 19 runs, and with it the series.

That Pakistan even had 200 to defend was down to Afridi again, after they had disintegrated to 97 for 6. The situation was dire enough to force Afridi to change his normally aggressive approach and play within himself. Not only did Afridi manage the feat, he also managed to accelerate and finish with a (by his standards) modestly paced 75 off 65 balls, setting up the first instance of a player making a fifty and taking five wickets in an innings, twice.

Afridi scarcely put a foot wrong today, except when a sliding stop went awry early in the chase. His knee got stuck in the turf, wrenching out a massive divot as he landed in agony. Afridi was helped off the field, but even that wasn't enough to keep him out of the action for long.

By the time Afridi and Saeed Ajmal came on, Sangakkara and Jayawardene had settled in after Aizaz Cheema's opening spell had accounted for the openers. Ajmal started off with a maiden to Sangakkara, before Afridi - limping, but buzzing with energy nevertheless - made him look ordinary in his first over. He beat Sangakkara with a googly, and got him to inside-edge a legbreak past the stumps. Ajmal then slipped a doosra past Jayawardene's outside edge for the umpteenth time in the series, and Afridi dipped a legbreak menacingly close to his off stump.

With the run-rate under control, Sangakkara and Jayawardene buckled down and focused on playing time. Only three boundaries came in the 17-over phase starting with the 18th over, but Sri Lanka were within touching distance at the end of that grind. Jayawardene and Sangakkara passed their 50s, and ten Pakistani shoulders dropped in unison. One man was not finished, though.

After troubling Sangakkara endlessly, Afridi slipped a quick fizzer through his gate in his sixth over. Angelo Mathews was beaten by an Afridi legbreak and two Ajmal doosras before feathering his fourth ball down the leg side. The Sri Lankan dressing room began to look uneasy once Afridi ripped Jeevan Mendis out with an offbreak that angled in from round the stumps and straightened at 84 kph.

With 34 needed off 7 overs, Jayawardene held the key, but Afridi lulled him into driving low to Mohammad Hafeez who held well at cover. Seekkuge Prasanna scudded his first ball low to the left of the pitch, but the ease with which Afridi swooped and plucked it made for as telling viewing as the X-man celebration that followed. Within the space of three overs, he had flipped the game open. It was only fitting that he got the last wicket, when Thisara Perera slogged into the sky with the game already out of Sri Lanka's grasp.

Afridi's impact was just as telling with the bat, if not as dramatic. Dilhara Fernando did the early damage before Sri Lanka's young spinners found their voice for the first time since Muttiah Muralitharan's retirement, exposing Pakistan's inability to read the variations out of the hand. Hafeez holed out recklessly, while Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal were clueless against Mendis' googlies.

Afridi's methods were perfect for the situation, though. He picked the spinners from the hand more often than not, but when he didn't he gave himself enough time to read them off the track. When Sri Lanka landed it in his zone, he pummelled them. Lasith Malinga was crashed through the covers, Mendis was bombarded over long-on, but Pakistan's mess was about to become messier.

Misbah ran himself out for the second time in two games, and Sarfraz Ahmed fell by the wayside, leaving Afridi shepherding the tail. Like he would later in the evening, Afridi found a willing partner in Ajmal. Their stand featured some feverish calling and smart running in the batting Powerplay, as Pakistan's tally ticked over from the abject to the realms of the defendable.

With ten overs to go, Afridi targeted Prasanna, backing away and lashing Prasanna with the spin for a six over extra cover to bring up his first fifty in 16 innings. He then thumped him straight and hacked through the covers for fours, before launching another six down the ground. Fernando dropped him off the next ball, but Afridi could not extend the carnage as he perished in the 44th over. Perhaps, the man knew right then that he already had enough to play with.

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Powerplays in Focus as ODIs Return to Sharjah

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Sharjah

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran

November 19, 2011

Match facts
Sunday, November 20
Start time 15:00 (11:00 GMT)

Big Picture

The batting Powerplay played its role in adding to the excitement of the World Cup, often tripping up a batting side coasting towards a large score or jumpstarting a flagging chase. The rules have been tweaked since and though the Powerplay is now taken earlier, it continues to add an element of unpredictability to the game, and was pivotal to the results of the previous two one-dayers between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Sri Lanka were reasonably well placed in their chase on Friday when they opted for the Powerplay. Cue 19 runs in five overs, the wickets of both their set batsmen and an arduous challenge that proved too much for the tail. It was similarly poisonous for Pakistan in the second ODI - 26 runs, three wickets and a chase that was virtually over. In what is a must-win game for Sri Lanka - Pakistan lead the five-match series 2-1 - how both teams handle the batting Powerplay could be crucial.

Teams are yet to properly re-calibrate their approach during the later set of fielding restrictions. Previously they targeted about 50 runs in that five-over spell, while now they need to tone down their ambitions, given that a big chunk of the innings still remains after that Powerplay. Mahela Jayawardene has already predicted how the two new balls will lead to lower totals, suggesting that 250 could be the new par score.

A par score of 250 seems like a throwback to the 1990s, a feeling that is only emphasised by Sunday's game being played in Sharjah. This signals the return of top-tier one-day cricket to the venue that was the hotbed of ODIs during 90s. Sharjah Cricket Ground is the runaway leader in terms of number of one-days hosted, but it's been eight years since two major teams contested a 50-over contest there.

Form guide

Pakistan: WLWWW (most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LWLWL

Watch out for …

Imran Farhat's place has been under scrutiny for much of his international career but he has finally begun to put together a string of performances that could satisfy the critics. Three half-centuries in five ODI-innings is a start, but he still needs to improve his conversion-rate.

It's been an up-and-down year for Upul Tharanga. There was the high of scoring loads of runs during Sri Lanka's run to the World Cup final, followed by the low of a three-month drug ban. Tharanga may not attract the headlines as much as the current Sri Lanka captain and his two predecessors, but he has quietly accumulated 12 one-day centuries, the third-highest by a Sri Lanka batsman.

Team news

Most of Pakistan's XI picks itself. The only question is over which fast bowler will partner Umar Gul with the new balls. Aizaz Cheema got a look-in for the first two games before being replaced by Sohail Tanvir. After Tanvir's lacklustre effort on Friday, Junaid Khan could well be in line for a place.

Pakistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Farhat, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Abdul Razzaq, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Sohail Tanvir/Junaid Khan.

Dilhara Fernando didn't have the best of games on Friday. With Lasith Malinga and Thisara Perera also being right-arm quicks, Sri Lanka may be tempted to add variety to the attack through the change of angle Chanaka Welegedara provides.

Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Seekkuge Prasanna, 11 Dilhara Fernando/Chanaka Welegedara.

Stats and trivia

Of the major Test nations, only Sri Lanka don't have any batsman with an ODI average above 40.00. Kumar Sangakkara, with 37.77, has the highest one-day average for a Sri Lankan
Pakistan's biggest ODI victory over Sri Lanka, and second biggest overall, came in Sharjah, when they won by 217 runs in 2002

Quotes

"It wasn't easy early on in the previous match. The ball wasn't coming onto the bat, but spending more time in the middle just gave us a bit more confidence."
Mohammad Hafeez had a reputation for making attractive 30s before giving it away. Friday's patient 83 showed showed how much progress he has made

"We have to get used to it. I don't think 300 and 350 runs are [now needed for] winning. Now 250 runs can be [enough for] a winnable target, with two new balls."
Tillakaratne Dilshan on the impact on using a new ball from each end

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Sangakara's run-out was the turning point - Dilshan

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, Dubai

Umar Farooq in Dubai

November 18, 2011

Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan has described the run-out of Kumar Sangakkara during the chase as the turning point of the third ODI in Dubai, which Pakistan won by 21 runs to go 2-1 up in the series.

A 106-run stand between Sangakkara and Dilshan for the second wicket had seemingly put Sri Lanka on course to overhauling the target of 258 in Dubai, before a direct hit from Shahid Afridi dismissed Sangakkara. Dilshan rued the run-out and his own dismissal soon after, which allowed Pakistan back into the game.

"Sanga [Sangakkara] was run out and I got out off a really bad ball - that was the turning point," Dilshan said. "I should have finished the game after we had a set up a good chase. If I had stayed [at the crease] for another five or six overs then it might be a different story and we might have reached the target easily."

Dilshan, however, was still optimistic about the next two games in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, which give Sri Lanka a chance to take the series. "We did very well though we weren't 100% in a few areas. But we have to carry on with the positive things we did, especially for Sharjah, as we have to take one game at a time. We have to try to win the fourth and then go to Abu Dhabi and try to win the series."

Pakistan mainly rode on Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat's 151-run opening partnership that helped them to set up a moderate target. "They batted very well but our bowlers realised, after seeing their openers, that if we can try and keep them under 275, that is a gettable target," Dilshan said. "The last 20 overs we bowled really very well and to be able to restrict them under 260, it was a great effort as a bowling unit."

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, was in a relaxed mood after taking the series lead. "Victory is always good," Misbah said. "Batting second is [usually] slightly difficult on this pitch because the ball skids on, but today the pitch was different and it wasn't that difficult [like in the] first two games. Credit should be given to all the bowlers, especially to the spinners."

Misbah was concerned that despite the large opening stand his batsmen couldn't push on to a bigger total. "That was a wonderful partnership between Hafeez and Farhat. Even if we played normally [after that] we should have got near 300 but the phase around the Powerplay cost us many wickets," he said. "That was our setback, but Younis Khan stayed for a while and helped us to put up a respectable total. Otherwise, even 240 looked tough for a while.

"This is a concern for us and we have to improve. The set batsman in the middle should carry on their good work to finish the innings well."

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