Pakistan Looks to Keep Momentum Against Sri Lanka

Sharjah: In-form Pakistan are seeking to build on their recent thrilling one-day triumph in South Africa when they take on dangerous but rusty Sri Lanka in a five-match series starting in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.

Pakistan last month sealed their first-ever ODI series win against the Proteas, beating them 2-1 just weeks after a 4-1 drubbing against the same opposition in the UAE.

Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, whose side lie sixth in the one-day rankings, two places lower than Sri Lanka, hopes they can build on their confidence-building success, saying his players thrive under pressure.

Pakistan will be without lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan -- who stands seven feet one inch tall -- after the bowler fractured his hip bone during the Twenty20 series against South Africa last month and was ruled out of the series.

Sri Lanka will be missing former captain Mahela Jayawardene and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who both opted out of the one-dayers.

Teams from

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Anwar Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt.), Umar Akmal (wk), Haris Sohail, Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Bilawal Bhatti, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Tanvir, Abdur Rehman, Asad Shafiq

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kushal Janith Perera, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Angelo Mathews (Capt.), Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Ashan Priyanjan

Stats and trivia
Equal battle between Pakistan & Sri Lanka, since 2000, Pakistan have won 28 ODIs between the two teams, and Sri Lanka have won 26

Match facts
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 (day/night)
Start time 1500 local (1100 GMT)

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