Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Live Streaming ICC World Cup on 26 February, 2011
Sri Lanka wins: 46
Pakistan wins: 70
No result/Tied: 4
First meeting: June 14, 1975, Nottingham – Pakistan won by 192 runs
Last meeting: June 15, 2010, Dambulla – Sri Lanka won by 16 runs
Fast Blower Lasith Malinga will rejoin the side after he sat the team’s opening match out with a back strain. Ajantha Mendis and Muralitharan should find this track a treat to bowl on, though there is a slight chance that Sri Lanka might opt for the more economical Rangana Herath in place of Mendis against sub-continental opposition, for whom the mystery spinner isn’t that much of a mystery!
With a tight performance against Canada, Nuwan Kulasekara has ensured that Dilhara Fernando will not be spared much of a thought in the minds of the think tank. As such, on this drowsy wicket, Fernando will have had to toil redundantly, breaking his back to eke out the least ounce of bounce, his favoured currency.
The thumb rule for sub-continental teams, when deciding on their team make-up for home matches, seems to be to play a 7-batsmen-4-bowler combination. Having a batting all-rounder at no. 7 and a bowling all-rounder at no. 8 makes the think tank breathe easy (In Pakistan’s case, Razzaq’s form with the bat deems him a batting all-rounder, while Afridi has proclaimed himself a bowling all-rounder). While Thisara Perera, who hits a long ball and picked up wickets during the Asia Cup in 2010, is a prime man to have in an ODI line-up, he has been off-colour with the bat and may not find place in the first-choice Sri Lankan eleven as a pure bowler. He got a game against Canada and chipped in with 3 wickets, but expect him to make way for Malinga.
Sri Lanka : Kumar Sangakkara (Captain & WK), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga,Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis,Rangana Herath.
Pakistan Cricket team excellance performance in first world cup 2011 match against Kenya, Pakistan won by 205 runs. Afridi says: Its a good start, we should start with positive way in batting. Next game against sri lanka is very important for us and we will come more harder. Pakistan cricket Team is Most Dangerous Team in this World Cup which do any thing in any situation .Sri Lanka vs Pakistan ICC Cricket world Cup 2011 Match its really enjoyable match for fans and players too.
Last Wednesday, even as Mohammad Hafeez was thwarted by a freak of a catch, Ahmed Shehzad appeared uneasy at the crease against the Kenyan new ball. While Hafeez’s watchful approach was an effort to climb back up from having been in scratchy form, Shehzad’s betrayed more discomfort than caution, something which is not his wont. The Pakistanis will have figured that they had better be more proactive upfront so as to ensure that bowlers are not allowed to get settled in their lines. Umar Akmal may have given much credit for his sparkling innings at Hambantota to the patronage of Captain Shahid Afridi, but he will know that his form at no. 6, with Afridi and Abdul Razzaq to follow, is invaluable.
Though Shoaib Akhtar’s niggardly economy rate of 2.00 per over on Wednesday was wrought bowling to the sub-international side that Kenya brought along to this tournament, his genuinely probing lines and variation in the short five-over spell bode danger for the Sri Lankan openers come Saturday. On the slow, dull track at the Premadasa, Shahid Afridi’s rapid leggies may not rattle the Lankans as much as they did the Kenyans, but with his mixed bag and smart bowling, trust him to come up with lines, lengths and speeds tailor-made to the surface.
Pakistan have highly probable wins over Canada, New Zealand and Zimbabwe – before they have to meet Australia – to look forward to if they take the momentum from the Kenya victory into this match. Suddenly, it seems, the dark-horse has started to shine through.
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