KARACHI, Oct 27: Pakistan face a daunting task in the second Test against Sri Lanka beginning at the National Stadium today (Thursday) as they attempt to square the two-match series without the services of their two strike bowlers.
Joining Mohammad Sami, (groin strain) on the sidelines on Wednesday was fellow fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who has been reportedly ruled out with a sore shoulder. Shoaib even refused to turn his arm over in the nets during the two practice sessions citing pain in his shoulder.
Forced into pressing the panic buttons, selectors have sent for Mohammad Khalil, an uncapped 21-year-old left-arm medium-pacer from Lahore with just 18 first-class games under his belt, as a cover for Shoaib Akhtar late on Tuesday.
According to the selectors, Khalil, a member of the Test squad during the home series against Bangladesh last year, has been called to provide variety in the bowling department.
Shorn of experience in the absence of Shoaib and Sami, it would have made better sense had the selectors - and the team management - opted for Fazle Akbar, a proven customer in domestic first-class with five Test appearances spread over six seasons. He also claimed a hat trick earlier this week for Peshawar in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match.
Rana Naveedul Hasan, with 13 One-day Internationals, and the untried Riaz Afridi, are now almost certain to make their Test debut. Thus, Pakistan will take the field with their most inexperienced bowling attack in a long time with leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, the leading wicket-taker (77), followed by Abdul Razzaq (54).
With the morale at its lowest ebb following the 201-run drubbing in the opening Test at Faisalabad, Pakistan will be banking on history rather than the limited resources available at their disposal to overpower the Islanders.
Having suffered only a single defeat in 36 Tests at this venue, England breaking Pakistan's unblemished track record by winning the final Test of the 2000-01 series in near darkness when everybody else other than the England batsmen and umpire Steve Bucknor were hardly able to see the flight of the ball.
Pakistan have fond memories of their previous encounters with Sri Lanka at the National Stadium, winning all three meetings quite comfortably. But now is a different time. Pakistan are in a disarray and sliding down the ICC Test Championship rankings. They must win here to retain their third spot.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are sitting pretty. A series win will elevate the Islanders from fifth to third, a 2-0 triumph will take their points tally to 108, one behind second-placed England, who trail leaders Australia by a further 20 points.
Marvan Atapattu, who has come of age as a shrewd tactician since taking over the Test captaincy from Hashan Tillekeratne, pointed out that the main difference between the two teams in Faisalabad was discipline.
Even from the crisis point of nine for three on the first morning, Sri Lanka kept pegging back into the game before Sanath Jayasuriya settled the issue beyond doubt with his record-breaking 253.
Pakistan's game-plan, no doubt with a lot of input from their foreign coach Bob Woolmer and his trusted laptop, was simply mystifying during the course of Jayasuriya's masterful innings. The former Sri Lankan captain scored a mere 20 of his runs in the 'V' (the arc between mid-off and mid-on). The bulk of his runs came through the square region on both sides and the region behind point and square-leg on either side of the pitch.
In other words, the Pakistani bowlers lacked control both in direction and length and continuously fed Jayasuriya on his favourite scoring areas.
Inzamamul Haq's leadership also lacked imagination in Faisalabad. He chose to attack when the situation demanded a safer option and defended when it was imperative that an all-out attack plan was required.
Pakistan's batting let them down in the first Test, only three of the batsmen crossing the 50-mark, with Shoaib Malik's 59 the best effort. Younis Khan returns for his first Test in more than a year and will bat at No 3, a key position where the experienced duo of Inzamam and Yousuf Youhana has constantly refused to shoulder the responsibility.
Sri Lanka, in sharp contrast, have little to worry about and may play an unchanged side. The only possible change could be the inclusion of Farveez Maharoof at the expense of Lasith Malinga, who looked below par in Faisalabad but may enjoy bowling on the harder surface here.
Atapattu, who bagged his fourth pair in 78 Tests at Faisalabad, will be doubly delighted to see his tormentor Shoaib Akhtar sidelined.
Jayasuriya is on the threshold of adding more milestones to his illustrious career. On Thursday, the 35-year-old would become the most-capped Sri Lankan player with 94 Test appearances and needs only three runs to complete 1,000 runs in a calendar year. Kumar Sangakkara is 37 runs away from achieving the same feat, while Atapattu needs another 103 to join the select group.
Inzamam, the most experienced home batsman, requires 66 runs to become only the second Pakistani after the legendary Javed Miandad to reach 7,000 Test runs.
The pitch, which has a sprinkling of live grass on the surface, appears to be a batting paradise, according to Atapattu. But Inzamam may decide to field first if he wins the toss for obvious reasons.
Teams:
PAKISTAN (likely): Yasir Hameed, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Inzamamul Haq (captain), Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Riaz Afridi, Rana Naveedul Hasan, Danish Kaneria.
SRI LANKA (from): Marvan Atapattu (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Jehan Mubarak, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Farveez Maharoof, Upul Chandana, Ian Daniel, Thilina Kandamby.
Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand) and Steve Bucknor (West Indies).
TV umpire: Asad Rauf (Pakistan).
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand).