Twenty20 finalists gear up for Test battle by AFP

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Event:

Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2009

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DateLine: 2nd July 2009

 

Pakistan and Sri Lanka make an emotional return to Test cricket on Saturday, almost four months to the day after a militant attack halted their last contest.

 

The three-Test series is the first between the two nations since armed gunmen fired on the Sri Lankan team bus while the players were on their way to resume a Test match in the Pakistani city of Lahore on March 3.

 

Seven Sri Lankan cricketers were injured and eight local security men were killed in the attack that forced the cricket world to abandon Pakistan as a venue for international cricket.

 

The upcoming series opens at the Galle International Stadium just two weeks after Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in the final of the World Twenty20 at Lord's in London.

 

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said he had no fears over security but was more concerned about how quickly his team would switch from the Twenty20 mode to the traditional five-day format.

 

"The key to winning the series against a strong Sri Lankan team will be our ability to adjust to demanding Test match cricket in hot and humid weather," said Alam.

 

"We can't afford to look back. Winning the Twenty20 title will mean little when the first ball is bowled in the Test series. It's a different ball game."

 

Pakistan have never lost a Test series in Sri Lanka, winning three -- including the past two in 2000 and 2006 -- and drawing the other two.

 

Its a creditable achievement considering that Sri Lanka, with the record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in their ranks, have proved almost unbeatable at home in recent times.

 

Of the 19 home Tests Sri Lanka have played in the past five years, they have won 13, drawn four and lost just two -- one of them to Pakistan by eight wickets in Kandy in April 2006.

 

Younus Khan's Pakistan have not experienced the rigours of a Test match on foreign soil since a two-match series in India in December 2007.

 

Even at home, Pakistan have played just one series over the past two years due to security concerns in the volatile nation, and that too had to be abandoned after the attack on the Sri Lankan team.

 

Pakistan will be boosted by the return of veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf, 34, and seasoned all-rounder Abdur Razzaq, 29, to the Test fold after they ended their links with the rebel Indian Cricket League.

 

But flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who won the player of the match awards in both the semi-final and final of the World Twenty20, has opted to rest from the series.

 

Kumar Sangakkara, leading Sri Lanka for the first time in a Test series, was confident his team had overcome both the tragedy in Lahore and the loss in the Twenty20 final and were ready to clash with Pakistan again.

 

"Lahore is not on our minds, the team has done a really great job mentally getting over it," said Sangakkara. "It was heartbreaking to lose the Twenty20 final but we had a great tournament.

 

"I am proud of the way the team played in England and I am confident we will do as well in the Test matches."

 

After the Galle Test, the teams move to Colombo where the second Test will be played at the P. Sara stadium from July 12-16 and the third at the Sinhalese sports club from July 20-24.

 

The rivals are also scheduled to play five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match after the Test series.

(Article: Copyright © 2009 AFP)