Match: Scotland v Pakistan, 1st ODI (2 match series)

Venue: Grange Cricket Club, Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Date & Time: 17th May, 2013, 14:45 PST / 09:45 GMT

Overall Rivalry: Pakistan 2 wins, Scotland no win

Weather Report: Overcast conditions are expected with a high of 13C. Winds will blow from the NNE at 10 to 15 km/h.

Ground Report: Founded in 1832, with a seating capacity of 5000, the Grange Cricket Club is one of Scotland’s leading cricket clubs. The picturesque ground is located in the Stockbridge area of central Edinburgh.

The toss winning captain is expected to bowl first in overcast conditions. Batting can get tricky with the ball doing a bit in the early hours of the morning.

Game On: In the two-month break from cricket, a lot has happened in Pakistan – including elections and a change of government. However, focus now returns back to cricket where Pakistan has seemed to have found some stability in its selection and administration. Misbah-ul-Haq was retained as captain while Pakistan took an extra step towards democracy as Zaka Ashraf became the first elected chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Pakistan is due to play against Scotland and Ireland in the build up to the last edition of the all-important ICC Champions Trophy. The games will be in trying conditions but the weather will only get warmer, though a cloud cover could typically remain through the English summer.

For Pakistan, the focus will be to get the right combination going before they head into some more serious cricket. In the recent past, the lack of a fast bowling all-rounder has at times made it difficult for the team to find the right balance. In conditions down south, a lopsided spin bowling arsenal might do wonders but Pakistan will have to make sure they choose horses for courses in the British Isles.

Scotland will look to give Pakistan a tough fight and maybe even upset the rusty tourists.

With Umar Gul going under the knife due to a recurring knee problem, Pakistan will miss their spearhead in an inexperienced bowling line. With only 21 games under his belt, Junaid Khan is expected to lead the attack with support from the giant that is Mohammad Irfan.

Three other pacers will fight out the vacant spot of the third seemer. Wahab Riaz had an abysmal tour of South Africa but has been lucky to find a place while Asad has broken through with an impressive domestic record of 355 wickets in 78 games and Ehsan comes in with a big reputation which helped him win his Test cap at the age of 19 earlier this year. What magic Wasim Akram has casted remains to be seen and a lot is expected out of this young attack.

Batting has traditionally been Pakistan’s weakness and prevalent conditions that are expected to assist lateral movement might only magnify their folly. To the dismay of many ex cricketers, Trent Woodhill has been appointed as batting coach. Though, it is not as much his credentials that surprise but the timing and duration of his assignment; he is currently with the Delhi Daredevils and will join the team directly in England for three weeks during the Champions Trophy.

Misbah-ul-Haq will turn 39 in a fortnight and it is improbable that he will feature in the 2015 World Cup. This summer could provide the perfect platform for him to bid farewell from limited-overs cricket, after achieving glory.

Mohammad Hafeez is also standing at a tipping point in his career where his off-field demeanour and on field performance might define his relation with his captain; he has to show his mettle to emerge as Misbah’s sole successor who is ready to lead Pakistan into its future.

Under the new leadership of Kyle Coetzer, Scotland will look to give Pakistan a tough fight and maybe even upset the rusty tourists. They will also be looking to exploit home advantage that could trouble the Pakistani batsmen.

Game Changer: The man behind most of Pakistan’s recent successes will again be needed to stand and deliver. Saeed Ajmal holds the key to any conquest that Pakistan can hope for, irrespective of the conditions.

Pre-Game Talk: "All the players realise the importance of it, and they should maintain strict discipline as we don't want a repeat of events. Players [have been] told to restrict their off-field movements and focus on the game." Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema is emphasising on discipline.

“Pakistan are full of fantastic cricketers, but we will be bringing our fighting qualities, and expect a strong performance in front of a home crowd." Scottish coach Pete Steindl is upbeat ahead of the first game.

Last XI Fielded Scotland: Preston Mommsen, Richie Berrington, Freddie Coleman, Gordon Drummond, Moneeb Iqbal, MH Cross, CS MacLeod, RM Haq, JD Nel, CG Burnett, MA leask

Last XI Fielded Pakistanis: Imran Frahat, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq(capt), Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan.

Possible Changes:

Scotland: Six players from the previous XI have not been selected in the squad that will face Pakistan. A new-look Scottish team under fresh leadership has been assembled to mark a revamp in the setup.

Pakistan: Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal are notable misses from Pakistan’s team. While Younis and Afridi had been on the edge of the sword for a while, Akmal’s omission is a surprise as he is currently the highest ranked Pakistani batsmen. Perhaps, his poor domestic form did not help his case. Asad Shafiq will look to permanently replace Younis as the anchor of the batting line and could be promoted to the number three slot which is also his natural batting position.

Final Words: The Pakistani team might have prepared in Abbottabad but the cold Scottish breeze will pierce their sweaters. Just like they say in Scotland “Speak well of the highlands but dwell in the laigh”.