Adverse venue awaits shaky hosts

Match facts

June 25-29, 2015
Start time 1000 local (0430 GMT)

Big Picture 

On the off chance that there is a home venue Sri Lanka would lean toward not to make a beeline for after a misfortune, it would be the P Sara Oval in Colombo. There is commonly additional skip at first glance, and a little help for seamers. On each of the last three events Sri Lanka have played here, they have lost. The main distinction is that in those arrangement, they had landed with a 1-0 lead, secured in Galle.

Sri Lanka's Galle tormentor Yasir Shah may not be a danger until later in the match, yet the possibility of Wahab Riaz heaving balls at caps on the most dependable result contribute South Asia is exciting for everything except the has' batsmen. Suranga Lakmal may create crease and convey here for Sri Lanka as well, yet the assortment of Pakistan's assault gives them an edge. In relief, Sri Lanka have the best batsman at P Sara: Kumar Sangakkara has 821 keeps running here, at a normal of 54.73.

For so long Pakistan had outgunned Sri Lanka just in the rocking the bowling alley, yet at present, the batting requests appear to be even. Pakistan are broadly weak - perhaps less so in the previous year - however since Mahela Jayawardene's retirement, Sri Lanka have been delicate as well. Sarfraz Ahmed's great frame in the lower-center request will have Pakistan in great spirits, while Angelo Mathews' plunge from the crests he scaled in 2014 may concern Sri Lanka. In Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka have two exceptional players of pace who have hurt Pakistan in mix some time recently. Their test will be to rediscover that limit notwithstanding the heap frustrations of 2015 as such.

Beside perhaps playing an additional seamer set up of Zulfiqar Babar if the pitch requires a pace-overwhelming assault, Pakistan are basically looking for business as usual. Now and again it has appeared to be tremendous they could deliver two comparative exhibitions on the jog. Under their triumphant est Test chief anyway, they are evading consistency.

Structure guide 

(last five matches, latest first)

Sri Lanka: LLLWW 

Pakistan: WWDLD 

In the spotlight 

Dimuth Karunaratne, who washes his bat like a cutlass in the first innings, has developed a little store of second-innings scores to propose he is a more considerable batsman than his record so far recommends. Combined with Kaushal Silva's grim safeguard, Karunaratne is relied upon to keep the scoreboard moving. Yet his best innings at the top level have come when he is endeavoring to spare a Test. His mentors will probably have noticed this. Possibly he will keep on exchanging a little pizazz for a couple of more runs.

Junaid Khan was the main feeble connection Pakistan had in Galle. He may have played some great overs in patches yet general looked inadequate. Since his restoration from harm after the World Cup, he has diminished his pace and attempted to produce crease development. He could possibly be dropped for the second Test however is unquestionably under enormous weight to contribute. "Regardless we have trust in him. We will check whether there is any need of a change however it will primarily be in light of a strategic move," Misbah-ul-Haq said.

Groups news 

Dhammika Prasad endured a hit to his right thumb in preparing, which places him in uncertainty for the match. Lakmal seems to have sufficiently recuperated from a crotch strain, be that as it may. Dilruwan Perera, who required nine lines subsequent to tearing the webbing of his left hand, won't be considered for this match, which exhibits an open door for either spinner Tharindu Kaushal or seamer Dushmantha Chameera, contingent upon how pace-overwhelming the assault should be. Kithuruwan Vithanage's hang on the No. 7 spot is likewise insecure.

Sri Lanka (plausible) 1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Lahiru Thirimanne, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 7 Kusal Perera, 8 Dhammika Prasad/Nuwan Pradeep, 9 Tharindu Kaushal, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Suranga Lakmal

The main awful news for Pakistan is that center request batsman Haris Sohail will continue back to Lahore subsequent to having harmed his patella tendon amid a handling bore in Galle. Whatever is left of the squad looked fit.

Pakistan (plausible) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Ahmed Shahzad, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt.), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Zulfiqar Babar, 11 Junaid Khan/Imran Khan

Pitch and conditions 

A day out from the Test, the pitch seemed to have a bit of live grass, which proposes the seamers will appreciate it of course. There is downpour conjecture for most evenings, however the previous few Colombo days have been splendid and sunny.

Details and trivia 

The P Sara Oval is the most solid result venue in South Asia in the course of recent years. Each of the last eight Tests at the venue prompted results, and stand out of the previous 12 matches has finished in a draw

Mohammad Hafeez needs 80 to achieve 3000 vocation runs

This is undoubtedly Kumar Sangakkara's last Test against his most loved main eight rival. He midpoints 77.75 against Pakistan