Pakistan Cricket team for the forth coming tour of Sri Lanka starting from 12th March has been announced. The 17 member squad include Inzamam-ul-Haq (Captain), Younis Khan (Vice Captain), Mohamamd Yousuf, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Asif, Iftikhar Anjum, Naed-ul- Hasan, Umar Gul, Faisal Iqbal, Tahir Khan and Abdur Rehman.

The Team is scheduled to play three ODI's (On 17th , 19th and 21st March) and two tests (First to start from 24th March and the Second from 1st April 2006). The current series assumes more importance inwake of both team's next engagement in England in the coming summer.

Cricket ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka are historic. In fact Pakistan cricket team's first ever overseas tour was to Ceylon 57 years ago in 1949.

On the measure of strength both teams are equally balanced. Though Sri Lanka has the home advantage and certainly is better equipped in bowling resources. On the other hand minus Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami Pakistan's bowling strength is comparatively weak.

Presented below is a brief review of Pakistan’s previous tours to Sri Lanka:

1986: Result 1 - 1

Pakistan won the low scoring match at Kandy by an innings and 20 runs. Tauseef Ahmed captured 9 wickets for 77 runs. Sri Lanka made 109 & 101 but Pakistan could also muster 230 yet it was a wining total. Sri Lanka immediately avenged this defeat in the next test at Colombo CC ground, Colombo by out playing the visitors by 8 wickets - their heroes were K.Kuruppuarachchi and J.R.Ratnayeke both claimed 7 wickets each and A.Ranatunga scored 77. The third test played at P.Saravanamutto Stadium at Colombo ended in a draw after rain plus undefeated centuries by A.P.Gurusinha (116 Not Out) and A.Ranatunga (135 Not Out) thwarted Pakistan's effort to press a win.

1994: Result 2 - 0

Wasim, Waqar and Saeed Anwar were in full bloom. Pakistan a much stronger side out classed Sri Lanka by 301 runs in the first test at P.Saravanamutto stadium Colombo and by an innings and 52 runs in the third test at Asgiriya stadium Kandy. The Second test at Colombo had to be cancelled in the wake of political unrest following the Sri Lankan general election. Later at Kandy Wasim (4-32) and Waqar (6-34) bowled unchanged in the Sri Lankan first innings which was folded for paltry 71 on the opening day. Inzamam-ul-Huq contributed an unbeaten 100 in Pakistan's winning score of 357 for 9 declared.

1997: Result 0 - 0

Wasim Akram led the visitors and A.Ranatunga the home team. Both the tests played in the series were drawn. The main feature of the rubber was three successive centuries by Arvindadesilva . By virtue of this feat the champion Sri Lankan batsman created history by becoming the first batsman to score unbeaten century in each innings of a test when he scored 138 not out & 103 not out in the second test at Galle. Two centuries were also scored for Pakistan ( Ijaz Ahmed 113 and Saleem Malik 155). Spinners Saqlain Mushtaq Claimed 14 and Mushtaq Ahmed 10 wickets in the series.

2000: Result 2 - 0

Moin Khan led the visitors and STJayasuriya the home team. Wasim Akram dominated the series with both bat and the ball with scores of 78, 20 Not Out and 100 and claiming 9 wickets. At Sinhalese sports club, Colombo Pakistan defeated Srilanka by 5 wickets in the first test and in the second test at Galle International Stadium by an innings and 163 runs. Centuries by Saeed Anwar (123). Inzamam-ul-Haq (112) Younis Khan (116) and Wasim Akram (100) helped Pakistan amass massive 600 runs at Galle. However in the third and final test at Asgiriya Stadium Kandy a record partnership of 335 between S.T Jayasuriya (188) and M.S.Attapottu (207 not out) some what salvaged home teams prestige as the home team had collected 467 for 5 in the only innings in the game marred by rain and drawn.

Summary of Results of Pakistan V/S Sirlanka Tests played to date:

(1981-82 to date)

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
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