Pakistan Trust in Bowlers to Overcome Sri Lanka

Abu Dhabi: Pakistan will rely on their strong bowling line-up led by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal to tame Sri Lanka in the three-match Test series starting at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Pakistan won the preceding one-day series 3-2 on the back of penetrative bowling and strong batting, but captain Misbah-ul Haq warned that they need to be at their best to beat Sri Lanka in the Tests.

Despite the loss, Sangakkara scored 516 runs including a double century in Abu Dhabi. He and Jayawardene are the stalwarts of the team's batting.

Sangakkara, a stylish left-hander, was also the star when Sri Lanka beat Pakistan 1-0 at home last year, scoring 490 in three Tests.

By contrast, Pakistan's batting has been vulnerable and they were dismissed for 49 and 99 this year.

But Mohammad Hafeez's return to form, with three centuries in the one-dayers against Sri Lanka, and the experience of Younis Khan and Misbah will boost them.

Misbah said the Test series was expected to be close but Pakistan had a slight edge in the bowling.

Herath and senior batsman Jayawardene both missed the one-day series for family reasons.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will also aim to give their coaches a winning send-off.

Pakistan's Dav Whatmore and his Sri Lankan counterpart Graham Ford will leave their jobs after the Test series.

Pakistan have not won a Test series since Whatmore joined in March 2012.

Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews promised his team will put up a stiff contest.

Pakistan will not improve on their current fifth-place world Test ranking even if they win 3-0. But sixth-placed Sri Lanka will replace Pakistan if they win 2-0 or better.

Teams from:

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt.), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Adnan Akmal (wk), Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Rahat Ali and Mohammad Talha.

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (Capt.), Dinesh Chandimal, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Shaminda Eranga, Nuwan Pradeep, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera and Vishwa Fernando.

Match facts
December 31, 2013 to January 4, 2014
Start time 10:00 local (06:00 GMT)

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