Lanka expected to make few changes today

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

Sri Lanka will most probably make a couple of changes for the fifth and final day\night ODI against Pakistan today at the R.Premadasa International Cricket Stadium. The Lankans who have already won the ODI series 3\1 was comprehensively beaten in the fourth one dayer last Friday.

Pace bowlers Lasith Malinga and left arm seamer Thilan Thushara will most probably be left out in the final eleven and they will be replaced by Nuwan Kulasekera and left armer Isuru Udana. Lasith Malinga had a miserable match in the last outing conceding 79 runs in his ten overs and in addition was treated with disdain by the young Pakistani batsman Umar Akmal who went on to score a memorable century only in his third ODI.

Boosted by the massive win they recorded in the fourth ODI, Pakistan could hold their heads high prior to returning home if they could reduce the deficit of the host teams victory margin by 3 matches to two.

The Pakistanis too, are bothered of their experience batsmen of the calibre of Mohammad Yousuf, Mishba-Ul-Haq failing to deliver the goods.

Teams : Sri Lanka Upul Tharanga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara (Captain) Mahela Jayawardena, Tilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thilina Kandamby, Malinga Bandara, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Kulasekera, Ajantha Mendis. Thilan Thushara.

Pakistan : Kamran Akmal, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Mishba-Ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Umar Kamal, Shahid Afridi, Naved -UL-Hassan, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammed Aameer, Ifthikar Anjun.