Pak wins toss elects to field in final test

  Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to field in the third and final Test match against Sri Lanka being played in Pallekele.

Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have made as many as four changes in their side.

For the visitors, Mohammad Hafeez, Zulfiqar Babar, Wahab Riaz, and Junaid Khan are not playing. In their place, Shan Masood, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, and Ehsan Adil come in.

For the hosts, Upul Tharanga, Jehan Mubarak and Suranga Lakmal replace Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath, and Kithruwan Vithanage.

Pakistan won the first Test by ten wickets in Galle and Sri Lanka responded with a seven-wicket victory in the second match at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.

This will mark the first time in 15 years since Kumar Sangakkara’s debut in July 2000 that Sri Lanka goes into a Test match without either him or the retired Mahela Jayawardene in the playing XI. Sangakkara is the leading run-getter in Test cricket amongst active players, with 12,305 runs from 132 matches at an outstanding average of 58.04. He will play just two more Tests against India in August before retiring. Jaywardene retired from Tests a year ago.

“For most of us in the squad, this is the first match for us without those two,” Sri Lanka vice-captain Lahiru Thirimanne said. “It ll be a little hard, but we have to get on with it and play our natural game.”

Sri Lanka won the second test by seven wickets in Colombo to keep alive its chances of winning a fourth straight home test series against Pakistan. Pakistan won the first match by 10 wickets.

Both tests were hit by rain interruptions and the trend could continue in the decider at Pallekele Stadium in Kandy. Matches here often get affected by rain “ the venue has hosted three tests and all of them have ended in draws.

“We have a best chance to beat them because they are without their big players like Mahela and Sanga,” Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said. “We have never come this close to winning a series against them here in Sri Lanka,” he added of the current group of players.

Both sides have injury worries. Left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz has been ruled out for Pakistan with a hairline fracture on the knuckle of his bowling hand, which he sustained during the second test.

Dushmantha Chameera impressed on his debut for Sri Lanka, bowling with raw pace during the second test, but is struggling with a side strain. He will undergo a fitness test on Friday morning, but Sri Lanka is unlikely to risk him.

The Sri Lankans could play three seamers and leave out left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who has only picked up two wickets in the series.

Top-order batsman Upul Tharanga was drafted into the Sri Lanka squad as a replacement for Sangakkara and is set to make a return to test cricket.

Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez will miss the third test as he had to fly to Madras to reassess his bowling action. Reserve opener Shan Masood is expected to take his place.