PALLLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Pakistan seek to maintain momentum when they take on Sri Lanka in the second One-day International (ODI) at Pallekele on Wednesday (today).
Pakistan pulled off a convincing win in the first ODI thanks to a memorable all-round performance from Mohammad Hafeez, who took four wickets and scored an excellent century.
Pakistan desperately need to win every match to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
Pakistan are expected to retain Mohammad Irfan who failed to take a wicket in the first ODI at Dambulla, continuing a trend of modest returns on the island. In four matches in Sri Lanka, he has three wickets, at 63.66 apiece. But if the Pallekele pitch is anything like the track it turned out for the Test, Irfan may have more luck there.
Their batting line seems to have stabilised with Azhar Ali and Shoaib Malik making a lot of runs in the recent matches.
Angelo Mathews has the task of turning Sri Lanka’s tour around. Sri Lanka are unlikely to fiddle with their batting much, but the bowling may get a tweak. They might play with Senanayake, but Thisara’s place in the side will be under the scanner.
Sri Lanka are yet to come to terms with the retirement of their two stalwarts Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
Their batting looks brittle at best, with only Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews providing any sort of stability. Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne have proved their mettle in the past, but still lack the consistency to be counted as threats by the opposition.
Where Sri Lanka can take comfort is their bowling. Dhammika Prasad, Suranga Lakmal, and Nuwan Pradeep provide powerful pace backup.
The extra speed of Pradeep could be useful to a team that is lacking firepower.
On the whole, the contest is evenly poised going into the match.
Squads:
Pakistan: Azhar Ali (captain), Mukhtar Ahmed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar
Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Yasir Shah, Bilal Asif, Immad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Ehsan Adil, Rahat Ali.
Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Milinda Siriwardana, Ashan Priyanjan, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake, Seekuge Prasanna, Sachith Pathiran.