Can the lackluster Sri Lankan batsmen step up and put on a better and decent show?
Can Lasith Malinga find his groove and get his deadly yorkers right?
Can Dilshan and company turn the tables around and square the series?
All these questions will be leading up into the 2nd One day International between Sri Lanka and Pakistan to be played in Dubai tomorrow.
Sri Lanka will be in a desperate to win their first match of the tour. If they were out of sorts during the Test series, they were in complete shatters during the first one day onfriday. The lack of application according to the conditions by the top order batsmen along with some clinical performance by the Pakistani bowlers were the major causes of SriLankan downfall. They'll hope to rectify their mistakes with the bat tomorrow.
Dilshan, on any given day, can turn a match on its head. He'll hold the key in the 2nd ODI as well. It will be interesting to see as to what kind of start he provides for his team to set the tone for rest of the batting line up.
Sangakkara, who has been the saviour of Srilankan dismal batting line up during the Tests, could not do much in the first ODI which resulted in a below par total of his side. His contribution will be the key if SriLanka are to level the series.
It's a high time that Jayawerdene must perform now. He has never looked comfortable and confident at the crease during the entire series. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the immense pressure.
Lasith Malinga will have to put up a better show than the last one day. He over-stepped on four occasions and was easily managed by the Pakistani batsmen.
The Green shirts, on the other hand, are in a much positive frame of mind especially after the kind of win they have secured in the last match.
Pakistan have won all of their last 6 one-day matches, all of them under the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Huq. He'll be confident to make it up to 7 out of 7.
Pakistan will probably go with the same side that outclassed their opponents in the previous outing. With Imran farhat getting runs and Hafeez at the top to set up the start, the middle and lower order looks in a perfect shape to tackle the Lankan bowlers. With Younis and Misbah's looking to anchor the innings, Umar akmal's traditional flambouyancy and Boom-Bang lethal combination, the Lankan bowlers will have to come up with some out-of-the-skin performance to stop the flow of runs in Dubai.
Bowling department also looks well settled as the batting department. Cheema was impressive with his swing early on. Given that the conditions will remain almost the same in 2nd ODI, he'll again have to play a role tomorrow. SriLankans will have to face a tough task to deal with the spin trio of Ajmal-Afridi-Hafeez. It's not easy to score off them.
All in all, it is not looking to good for the Lankan lions in accordance with their recent form and the strength opponent. It will take a big performance from the World Cup Finalists to level the series in the 2nd ODI tomorrow. They are very much capable of doing that, afterall they are the No. 2 ranked side in the World but I'll put my money on Pakistan for their recent form and the kind of team they have on paper.
The 2nd ODI starts tomorrow in Dubai.
GeoSuper