Pak v SL: 2nd Test match

[Shaka]

PAKISTAN V SRI LANKA: PREVIEW
Wednesday 27th October 2004


Pakistan may be without Shoaib Akhtar as they look to level the series against Sri Lanka in Karachi.
The fast bowler is a doubt for Thursday's second - and final - Test of the series with a shoulder injury as the home side look to bounce back from their 201-run defeat in Faisalabad on Sunday.

If Akhtar is ruled out, then Inzamam-ul-Haq will have a rookie seam bowling attack at his disposal as Akhtar's new ball partner Muhammad Sami is already out after pulling a groin muscle in the first Test while other potential deputies Shabbir Ahmed (knee) and Umar Gul (back) are long-term casualties.

"We will assess his injury later in the evening and see whether it is possible to play him with some painkilling injections," said captain Inzamam.

Uncapped seamers Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Riaz Afridi will take the new ball if Ahktar is ruled out supplemented by Abdul Razzaq's medium pace.

Pakistan have dropped veteran wicketkeeper Moin Khan and replaced him with Kamran Akmal, who has played just six Tests.

While Younis Khan is pushing for a place in the middle-order with Asim Kamal most under threat after two failures in Faisalabad.

Sri Lanka are set to be unchanged after they turned around a first-innings deficit to complete an emphatic victory on Sunday.

And captain Marvan Atapattu is confident of completeing a hat-trick of series wins in Pakistan despite the absence of star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

"We are confident, but the next test starts from zero. It will be a fresh game and we have to put things right to get the required result," said Atapattu.

Pakistan (probable): Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Yasir Hameed, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Shoaib Akhtar (or Rana Naved-ul-Hasan), Riaz Afridi, Danish Kaneria.

Sri Lanka (probable): Marvan Atapattu (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Jehan Mubarak, Romesh Kaluwitharana (wkt), Chaminda Vaas, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga.

[Shaka]

Pakistan looking in some disarray with Shoaib in danger of adding to the injury list. Basically that will leave us without our first 4 frontline bowlers, which will make tomorrow's game interesting to say the least. A pace attack of three medium pacers on a flat track sounds under-whelming to say the least. Razzaq shouldn't play IMO, a genuine frontline bowler should have been added to the squad no matter how raw.

[Mike Small]

If Shoaib doesn't play it will be a big, big blow for Pakistan - the last time both Sami and Shoaib didn't play in a test match for them they almost lost to Bangladesh.

[Shaka]

I'm quite concerned about the type of bowlers being selected for test matches. Between them Rana, Razzaq and Afridi are all very similar. Afridi (from what I can remember) and Rana will get some swing with the new ball maybe, after that I'm not really sure how much joy any of these guys will get against quality batsman like SL possess.

Razzaq hasn't really looked like taking a wicket with his stck delivery being slanted into the right handers with no ability to move it the other way. Maybe with SL having a few left-handers he might get a couple caught behind...although it never looked like happening in the 1st test.

[Maranello]

Pakistan looking in some disarray with Shoaib in danger of adding to the injury list. Basically that will leave us without our first 4 frontline bowlers, which will make tomorrow's game interesting to say the least. A pace attack of three medium pacers on a flat track sounds under-whelming to say the least. Razzaq shouldn't play IMO, a genuine frontline bowler should have been added to the squad no matter how raw.

I don't think Riaz Afridi is a medium pacer, he's better than that from what I have heard...whether he is Test standard or not, remains to be seen!

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Shaka

I'm quite concerned about the type of bowlers being selected for test matches. Between them Rana, Razzaq and Afridi are all very similar. Afridi (from what I can remember) and Rana will get some swing with the new ball maybe, after that I'm not really sure how much joy any of these guys will get against quality batsman like SL possess.

Razzaq hasn't really looked like taking a wicket with his stck delivery being slanted into the right handers with no ability to move it the other way. Maybe with SL having a few left-handers he might get a couple caught behind...although it never looked like happening in the 1st test.

I know what you mean..Rana and Razzaq are not really strike bowlers, though Rana will get some purchase from the new ball, and by using the virtues of line and length...

Will Razzaq really take a wicket by bowling an unplayable delivery or even by building up pressure? I doubt it..

However, some of your concerns are misplaced, as these chaps were not selected as strike bowlers since the main two, Shoaib & Sami, were expected to play both Tests. Rana, Razzaq, Afridi are alrite as stock bowlers, and we can debate their usefulness in that role. So the squad was balanced when everyone was fit.

Now, if both S & S do not play, then in an ideal world a new strike bowler, eg Irshad or one of the other dozens of genuine fast bowlers dotted around the country should be selected... however, it might not be practically feasible to change the squad at this late hour!

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Mike Small

If Shoaib doesn't play it will be a big, big blow for Pakistan - the last time both Sami and Shoaib didn't play in a test match for them they almost lost to Bangladesh.

Yeh but that more due to a 4th innings batting collapse till Inzi and Umar Gul saved the day!

Bowling wise, I thought Gul looked pretty effective in that outing

[Shaka]

Originally Posted by Maranello

However, some of your concerns are misplaced, as these chaps were not selected as strike bowlers since the main two, Shoaib & Sami, were expected to play both Tests. Rana, Razzaq, Afridi are alrite as stock bowlers, and we can debate their usefulness in that role. So the squad was balanced when everyone was fit.

But we should really have blooded a few genuine frontline bowlers to cover this eventuality before now. I rember Rauf being picked as a squad member against Bangladesh yet he never got a game. Then we have had fixtures against the likes of Zimbabwe where Rao was given a try. So in any case the result is that this squad has only two frontline strike bowlers and two medium pace allrounders with a question mark against Afridi. With possibly both frontline bowlers out through injury it looks like the make up of the squad has probably one allrounder too many and maybe a specialist pace bowler light.

I'll watch Riaz Afridi with interest tomorrow but my memory of him in the U-19 world cup was of a strong medium pace bowler who swung the bowl but not late swing. I'll be keen to see what he brings to the side and hope my initial assessment was wrong!

[Mike Small]

It will have an impact on the team pcylogically - going into a match to try and save the series without your best bowler (s). Sri Lanka should feel really confident one feels, and in honesty, Pakistan don't really deserve to draw this series the way they have been playing of late.

[Shaka]

Mike,

I see you are located in Islamabad, just wondering if you have seen anything of Riaz Afridi? I guess probably not as they may not broadcast much domestic cricket there but if yes then would be interesting to hear another perspective.

Agree very much that Pakistan's lack of application when batting saw them deservedly lose, but I am hoping that they will have enough self-respect to want to put that right in this match. Their first innings carelessness in the first match definitely let SL off the hook and put them in the driving seat.