All eyes on skipper Mahela

Chris DHAMBARAGE reporting from Pakistan

CRICKET: Mahela Jayawardena’s final appearance as captain is certain to take the centre stage when Sri Lanka take on Pakistan in the second and final cricket Test match which begins at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore today (Sunday).

The opening match of the series ended in a high scoring draw at the National Stadium in Karachi and both teams are keen to produce a result on a wicket that is likely to favour the bowlers. In fact skipper Jayawardena was quite pleased with the conditions in contrast to the National Stadium where more than 1,500 runs were scored by the two teams on a flat track. Jayawardena said that the wicket looks pretty lively and predicted that it would help the fast bowlers a great amount.”I am not an expert of wickets. When we played the one day international the Lahore wicket had plenty on it. It looks like there’ll be something for fast bowlers, but until we start play we can’t say much”. Jayawardena also said that this will be quite an emotional Test match for him while leading the side for the last time for his country. But he was also determined not to get carried away with the feelings and hoped that the players will be very much focused on the game during all five days.

“I don’t think it’s a distraction. I am feeling okay. It’s a crucial Test Match for us having drawn in Karachi and all the focus in on winning here. There’s been nothing different”, added the outgoing Sri Lankan captain.

Jayawardena said that he enjoyed leading the Sri Lankan team in the past few years although there were few ups and downs in his career. “When you are winning you enjoy and when you don’t it’s not a good feeling and the captain goes through that. The captain is as good as the team. When the team is in a confident mood, the captain’s job becomes easier”.

The Sri Lankan captain believed that the World Cup final in the West Indies was the most memorable occasion in his career. “There are no specific highs and lows, but I think the World Cup final was a big plus in my career. I am privileged to have done that. That would be the greatest moment”.

Skipper Jayawardena noted that his biggest disappointment was the two home series defeats against England and India recently. “The lows would be losing a few tournaments at home to India and before that to England. Those were the two teams that were disappointing as they were home series. But I enjoyed my stint and thoroughly enjoyed it”.

Sri Lanka will be quite aware that they had enjoyed a great amount of success at this venue going back to the 1996 ICC World Cup. But skipper Jayawardena believed that this is a completely new challenge as they look for a rare series clinching victory away from home since 2000. “It’s like any other venue for us. We have had lot of success here going back to the 1996 World Cup. But that’s all in the past, now there are different teams. It’s a good series to be involved in. We don’t play in Pakistan often and for us to win away from home is a challenge. We need to live in the moment and see how we can put more pressure on Pakistan”.

Even then Jayawardena noted that they will need to produce an improved performance on the field and hold on to the difficult chances which could be decisive at the end. “We need to take the catches that Younis gives to start off with. I thought he batted well. You have to give credit to someone who bats for that long”. “Our bowlers bowled really well. I said in Karachi as well that the two day effort over there was phenomenal. They scored like 2.5 runs an over on a flat track. As long as we can keep that pressure going, we’ll keep creating opportunities” added Jayawardena.

Meanwhile Pakistan skipper Younis Khan expected Sri Lanka to come hard on them as the team will be determined to give Mahela Jayawardena a fitting farewell by winning the match and the series.

“This is Mahela’s last series and my mind said that he will come hard on us and true to form he proved me right with a double hundred. We have to focus on our strengths. He has got a good record with the team and we have lot of respect for him” said the Pakistan captain.

The teams: Sri Lanka (from): Mahela Jayawardena (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Malintha Warnapura, Tharanga Paranavithana, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardena, Thilan Samaraweera, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Thushara Mirando, Suranga Lakmal.

Pakistan (from): Younis Khan (captain), Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt, Khurram Manzoor, Ahmed Shahzad, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Danish Kaneria, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Sohail Khan.