Lanka optimistic amidst despair

VISAKHAPATNAM, MARCH 26: The chemistry of winning sometimes could be preposterously weird. Indian fans can fondly recall how a moustache ...

VISAKHAPATNAM, MARCH 26: The chemistry of winning sometimes could be preposterously weird. Indian fans can fondly recall how a moustache brought about a dramatic turnaround in Mohammad Azharuddin8217;s fortunes a few years ago. But for Sri Lanka there has only been disappointment on this score.After sprouting thick, dyed moustaches, Arjuna Ranatunga has dispensed with them. His endeavour to arrest the declining standard has been futile. Ranatunga has to exhort his boys to do something out of the world against table-toppers Pakistan at the Municipal Stadium here tomorrow.

The brief burst from Pramodaya Wickremasinghe at Jamshedpur apart, Sri Lanka has looked pedestrian. The fielding too appeared mediocre although Ranatunga claims some improvement on this front.

Contrasting mood: Quite contrasting is the case of the Pakistan cricket team. Not long ago their team members behaved like disparate coalition partners of the Vajpayee government. But the Test series against India has infused the much-needed elixir inthe team. The return of Saqlain Mushtaq tomorrow is a foreboding of things to come.

Pakistan may blood youngsters like Shahid Nazir and Imran Nazir, keeping out some senior players. For Lanka, Russell Arnold may give way to Atapattu and Chandika Haturasinghe should come in for Hemantha Boteju.

Ranatunga said he was confident. 8220;This is a crucial match. But a defeat will not eliminate us.8221; That looks a possibility as remote as the chances of thunderstorm in this City of Destiny.

Teams

Sri Lanka from: Arjuna Ranatunga capt, Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardane, Ruwan Kalpage, Hashan Tillekaratne w-k, Chaminda Vaas, Pramodaya Wikramasinghe, Chandika Haturasinghe, Avishka Gunawardene, Upul Chandana, Hemantha Boteju, Russell Arnold, Eric Upashanta and Prasanna Jayawardane. Coach: Roy Dias. Manager: Ranjit Fernando.

Pakistan from: Wasim Akram capt, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed, Yousuf Youhana, Moin Khan w-k, Shohaib Akhtar, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq,Arshad Khan, Sahid Nazir, Imran Nazir and Abdul Razzak.

Coach: Javed Miandad. Manager: Munir Mohammed.

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Umpires: S K Sharma, A Bhattacharya. 3rd Umpire: O Krishna. Match Referee: Cammie Smith West Indies