Two cricketing giants of the subcontinent meet at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka in the first of the two matches for the Cool & Cool Cup presented by Group Midwest Hotels.
The clash is of great significance to both the teams, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 being less than 100 days away. For Sri Lanka, who occupy the top slot in the Reliance ICC T20 world ranking, a victory over Pakistan can help them protect their top ranking going into the World Cup. A winning start can also bolster them before the start of the five-match One-day and three-Test series that will continue until January 20.
The Pakistan team, who arrived here early, prepared for T20 contest with a one-off Twenty20 match against Afghanistan in Sharjah. They were pushed hard by Afghanistan, only reaching the winning target off the last ball of the match. Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez admitted as much. “It was a good preparation for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and we found out the areas we have to improve,” he said.
Pakistan will aim for a clean sweep over Sri Lanka as it assures them a double benefit. Not only can they then create a fear among all other opponents in the world cup but also go into the event as the top-ranked team. A clean sweep can fetch them four points and help them race past India and South Africa, who are ahead of them, and displace Sri Lanka from the top.
The T20 games promise plenty of excitement since both teams have a number of Twenty20 specialists. Tickets are being sold out at a fast clip. The tickets are priced as low as Dh30. Speaking to Gulf News, Maqbul Dudhia, Dubai Sports City General Manager – Sports Business said: “Dubai International Cricket Stadium has become an ideal venue for Twenty20 cricket in world cricket. The atmosphere for all Twenty20 matches here have been outstanding and the turnout for the recent Pakistan and South Africa and the Pakistan-Australia [matches] held here proves this fact. It shows the public is hungry for top-quality Twenty20 international action.”
To ensure a large turnout, both the matches are scheduled to begin only from 8pm. Cricket fans are eagerly looking forward to the showdown also because of the fact that this will be the first time Pakistan and Sri Lanka have faced each other in a Twenty20 International at this venue.
Pakistan holds the psychological edge over Sri Lanka in terms of their head-to-head record in Twenty20, leading 6-4, which includes the only T20 match the two sides played in the UAE in November 2011. Pakistan won the match by five-wickets in Abu Dhabi.
To neutralise Sri Lanka’s batting strength, Pakistan have strengthened their bowling attack. Saeed Ajmal has joined the team for the T20 matches after missing the match against Afghanistan. Pakistan have also included an uncapped left-arm pacer in Usman Khan who, in his maiden domestic season, took five wickets for nine runs to steer Zarai Taraqiati Bank to a title victory in the Faysal Bank T20 Cup. The bowler joins the likes of Junaid Khan and Sohail Tanvir in the Pakistan squad, Gulf News reports.
