Pakistan should use home advantage and prepare seaming tracks for the Test series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, former Test batsman Basit Ali has said.
The series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka includes three Tests, five One-day Internationals (ODIs) and a Twenty20 International, with the first Test starting on October 18 in Abu Dhabi. Sri Lanka and Pakistan sit fifth and sixth respectively in the ICC Test rankings, and Basit predicted a closely fought series. “The Sri Lankan and Pakistan team are equal and I don’t think either team has an advantage over the other,” PakPassion quoted him, as saying.
The biggest name missing from Sri Lanka’s squad list is Test cricket’s highest wicket-taking bowler, Muttiah Muralitharan, who Basit said would be sorely missed by the tourists. “Sri Lanka doesn’t have Murali so that advantage doesn’t exist – I forecast 3 draws,” he predicted. With the Sri Lankan pace attack on paper comparatively raw without Lasith Malinga, Basit advised that the pitch should be catered for the quicker bowlers.
“If they want to win the series, Pakistan should use home advantage and prepare seaming tracks,” he said. This series also sees the return of Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz who were rested for Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe. The inexperienced Pakistani bowling line-up performed admirably on that tour, in particular 32-year-old Aizaz Cheema. Basit, however, was of the view that Gul would be Pakistan’s main strike weapon against Sri Lanka.
“It’s difficult to see Cheema make an impact but Gul should do well. He should be able to reverse the old ball,” he said.
