Daijiworld Media Network

Sharjah, Dec 18 : Hello and welcome to the first ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The T20I series between them was drawn 1-1 and both teams will look to take some positives from that series. Collective batting effort has been the problem of late for Pakistan, but they played back to back series in October and November against a strong South African side and that experience will surely help them. On the other hand, the Sri Lankans have barely had some genuine match pratice as their matches against New Zealand at home were marred due to rain.

Pakistan have won the toss and have opted to bat

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kushal Janith Perera, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews(c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal

Pakistan (Playing XI): Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Umar Akmal(w), Shahid Afridi, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan

Preview by Nikhil Narain

Pakistan will return to their 'home away from home' when they kick start the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. With the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand just 14 months away, the series will assume importance and give both the teams a chance to test their younger crop, finalize their squads, experiment with various permutations and combinations and build a strong bench strength as they approach the coveted ODI tournament.

Pakistan are coming off a historic series victory in South Africa while Sri Lanka managed to draw level the three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home. The T20I series which preceded the ODI series was tied at 1-1. Thus, the teams have everything to play for and they would want to end the year on a high.
Pakistan

Misbah-ul-Haq will be the pivot around which the Pakistan batting will revolve. With 1223 runs at an average of 53.17, he is the second highest run-getter in ODIs in 2013 only behind India's Virat Kohli. The Pakistani veteran has scored 13 fifties in the year thus far. Mohammad Hafeez has also aggregated 853 runs in 2013.

Ahmed Shehzad is a talented opener who is yet to do justice to his immense potential. Sohaib Maqsood has shown promise and class in the few opportunities he has got. With the likes of Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi in the lower middle order, the Pakistan batting, if they play as a cohesive unit, is well capable of getting stuck into the Sri Lankan bowlers.

The bowling has been Pakistan's strength and helped the team many a matches even when the batting has come a cropper. Saeed Ajmal has been the tormentor-in-chief for the opposition and has picked up 53 wickets at a splendid average of 19.94 coupled with a miserly economy rate of 4.11. Afridi and Hafeez will complete a formidable spin unit. Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan, who have also been amongst the wickets, will lead the pace attack with all-rounders, Bilawal Bhatti and Anwar Ali for support.

Sri Lanka

The visitors will rely on the experiences of Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan in the top order. The southpaw has amassed 1033 runs at 73.78 this calendar year while the latter is not far behind with 978 at 69.85. Sri Lanka will miss the services of Mahela Jayawardene who has taken leave for personal reasons.

Kusal Perera would look to provide the impetus at the start. Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews will have important roles to play in the middle-order. Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara are well capable of hitting a heavy ball coming down the lower-order.

The pace bowling will be spearheaded by Lasith Malinga. who with 33 wickets from 23 appearances is the leading wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in ODIs in 2013. Kulasekara and Perera would share the fast bowling burden with Malinga. The spin bowling will be led by Ajantha Mendis with Sachithra Senanayake also in the ranks to add diversity to the attack with his variations.

Trivia

- Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 4-1 in November 2011 - the last time these two nations locked horns in an ODI series in the UAE.
- Pakistan has an excellent record in ODIs in Sharjah, having won 76 of their 114 matches at the venue.
- Pakistan have never lost to Sri Lanka in a bilateral ODI series in the UAE.
- Tillakaratne Dilshan is just 22 runs away to become the second Sri Lankan after Sangakkara and the eighth batsman overall to aggregate 1000 runs in ODIS in 2013.

Weather and Pitch Conditions

The weather would be perfect at this time of the year in the UAE. The maximum would touch around 26 degrees celsius while the minimum should hover around 16. There is no chance of rain in Sharjah.

The wicket is expected to be a belter so one can expect a high scoring encounter with both the teams boasting off some handsome stroke-players.

Dew is expected in the day and night clash and chasing might be a definite advantage.