PESHAWAR, March 18: Pakistan vice-captain Yousuf Youhana predicted another run feast in Friday's third One-day International against India at the Arbab Niaz Stadium.

Having pulled level 1-1 in the five-game series with a 12-run win in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, Youhana felt that by the look of the wicket, 600 runs being scored in the match was a possibility. "I haven't played much in Peshawar but I think the pitch can produce 600 runs."

Already the first two matches have yielded 1339 runs with a world record 693 alone being scored in last Saturday's opening game in Karachi. Pakistan are not likely to make any changes to the side that beat India in Rawalpindi.

"I don't think there will be any changes," team manager Haroon Rasheed said. The national selectors on Wednesday called up left-handed opening batsman Taufiq Umar to the side while dropping pace bowler Rao Iftikhar and batsman Misbahul Haq.

Indian captain Saurav Ganguly termed the pitches they have encountered in the series as 'outstanding'. "So far they have favoured the batters and they have (Andy) Atkinson, who is an Englishman preparing them; besides they leave it as bare as possible in one-day matches."

India are without paceman Ashish Nehra, who is heading home after injuring the webbing of his left hand in the Rawalpindi match, an injury that required two stitches. His replacement Amit Bhandari has yet to arrive.

Ganguly said that Nehra's injury was obviously a concern but injuries do happen. "This is something you cannot help and I think, the series in Australia is taking its toll on the players.

"When you split the webbing of your hand you can't do much about it, we expect Irfan Pathan to deliver as he has done before," he said. Pathan, the young left-arm seamer, was not played in the first two One-day Internationals.

The tourists came close to winning in Rawalpindi through the genius of dynamite Sachin Tendulkar who scored a marvellous 141 while also crossing the 13000-run mark in One-day Internationals. He will continue to be the biggest threat.

Haroon said that the reason for such high scoring games witnessed in the series was that both sides had outstanding openers who have given solid starts to their respective sides. "If any team gets an early breakthrough then you might see some low scoring games, but I don't see that happening on these wickets."

Pakistan were trying to overcome the problem of slow over rates that saw captain Inzamamul Haq and the team being fined by the match referee Ranjan Madugalle following the second match on Tuesday where they were three overs short.

"Slow over rate has been a problem for a long time but it has increased recently. We are trying to curb it and will overcome it soon," Haroon said. He pointed out that with four minutes available for each over to be bowled, at times the bowlers took time getting back to their mark or an excessive number of boundaries were being hit.

But if Inzamam's bowlers go slow again, the Pakistan captain could be banned for eight matches under International Cricket Council's regulations.

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