Bob Woolmer explains a point to Shoaib Akhtar on Tuesday

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Matches played: 99 Won by Pakistan: 60 Won by Sri Lanka: 36 Tied: 1 Abandoned: 2 Last match played: In Dambulla on May 18, 2003, Sri Lanka won by 12 runs.

Colombo: Pakistan will look to record a confidence-boosting win when they clash with Sri Lanka in their opening Super League match of the Asia Cup here on Wednesday.

Though Pakistan emerged champions in group A, the day-night encounter against the hosts will be their first big match in the tournament. Captain Inzamam-ul Haq is keen to maintain their winning run in the six-nation tournament.

The frontline Pakistani batsmen seemed to be in good touch in the first two matches against Bangladesh and Hong Kong but their real test will come when they face the likes of Muttiah Muralidharan and Chaminda Vaas.

The hosts, who beat the Indians by 12 runs on Sunday to emerge group B champions, will be relying on home advantage to put it across the Pakistanis who are in the process of rebuilding the team under new coach Bob Woolmer.

Woolmer took over the reins after Javed Miandad was unceremoniously dumped following the humiliating one-day and Test defeats at home against India and has already tried out a few new tricks to rejuvenate the team.

Inzamam is aware that the real test for his team begins now and wants his boys to keep the momentum going.

“The first match in the Super League is important. If we win, our confidence will soar for the game against India”, he said. Inzamam added his team was enjoying playing without much pressure since all the attention was focussed on India and the hosts.

“We are happy that all the attention is on India and Sri Lanka and that allows us to play our matches without pressure,” he said.

The hosts, who missed the services of former captain Sanath Jayasuriya against India, are eagerly looking for the dashing left-hander to return to the side.

Jayasuriya, who sat out the last game with a side strain, has made a good recovery and even resumed bowling in the nets on Monday.

Opener Jayasuriya is keen to return as soon as possible and is expected to be available for selection, certainly as a batsman and possibly as a spinner too.

But their preparations for the second stage have been hit by a flu bug affecting three members of the squad. Maravan Atapattu, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Chaminda Vaas have all been laid low by the bug.

Atapattu, who was forced off the field during Sri Lanka’s 12-run win against India on Sunday, and Dilshan have been put on a course of antibiotics.

On Tuesday morning Vaas was the latest casualty of the bug, although physiotherapist C.J. Clarke was hopeful that his case might not be too serious. “There is not really a lot we can do about the situation apart from making sure they take on plenty of fluids and rest,” Clarke told reporters.

Atapattu is confident that he will be able to play but Sri Lanka will have to wait until the morning of the match before confirming their playing XI. “There is nothing we can do about that, so we just have to take that from day to day and see who is fit and ready to play,” coach John Dyson told reporters.

Dyson said that the mood within the team was buoyant after their double win in Dambulla.

“The team played very well in both games in Dambulla and they are feeling pleased with their game and looking forward to the rest of the tournament,” said Dyson. (Agencies)