Pakistan back where they belong to welcome a new dawn

Pakistan back where they belong to welcome a new dawn







Friday will witness the first ODI at National Stadium in Karachi since Pakistan and Sri Lanka met here in January 2009, ten years ago.

Pakistan have travelled. They have won. They have lost. They have unearthed potentially one of their best-ever ODI batsmen in Babar Azam. They have enjoyed a Champions Trophy winning regime under Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mickey Arthur. They have endured a World Cup floundering regime under Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mickey Arthur. Now they have a new coach, who's also the new chief selector, who's also Misbah-ul-Haq. Nothing is the same from the last time they played an ODI here. It never is with Pakistan. And yet, they're back home. Cricket's greatest nomads needn't be nomads at all - at least this once.

Following a security assurance, that needed a reassurance after 10 Sri Lankan players pulled out, Pakistan's first ODI assignment at home (minus the 'adopted' prefix) in over four years will finally see the light of day on Friday (September 27). Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has already called this the highlight of his career. Babar Azam has recalled watching big crowds on TV as he was growing up. Misbah-ul-Haq has laid bare his emotions on being the only one to bookend the 10-year time lapse of Karachi's ODI exile. So just another bilateral series? A whole country of fans disagrees.

This new dawn for Pakistan cricket begins with a reinforcement of faith in Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was retained as captain based on the recommendations of Misbah and the PCB Cricket Committee, despite the failure to qualify for the World Cup semifinals. It also begins without their pace sensation Shaheen Afridi - out with a bout of dengue. Shoaib Malik had bowed out during the previous sunset, while Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan are making their returns. Pakistan would've been favourites to start with anyway. They didn't need the rain check from Sri Lanka's most prominent players. Now, they're overwhelming favourites against a 'B' team of an international team that's not very good to begin with.

Indeed, Sri Lanka's drying stocks of talent have been strained to the hilt in putting together a team after most of their first choices backed out. That there are 14 players of international experience, a lot of whom aren't regulars, is itself indicative of the major problem in Sri Lankan cricket - of players unable to solidify themselves at the highest level. Here's another opportunity to do just that.

Sri Lanka were poor at the World Cup. They were poor the year before the World Cup. They were poor the year before that year. And so on. They did start better after the World Cup, blanking Bangladesh 3-0 at home. But without the players who did most of that work, can they sustain not being very poor very often?

What: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI

Where: National Stadium, Karachi

When: Friday, September 27 (3pm local)

Team news:

Pakistan: The home team start without their pace sensation Shaheen Afridi who's out with a bout of dengue. Shoaib Malik is now retired. Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan are making their returns though.

Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari, Wahab Riaz

Sri Lanka: Even after 10 players pulled out, surprisingly there's only one uncapped player in the form of 24-year-old left-handed batsman Minod Bhanuka. The series is an opportunity to Sri Lanka to see what lies behind the obvious pool of players, and see what needs mending and to what extent.

Squad: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

Did you know:

• This will be the first ODI at National Stadium in Karachi since the same two sides met here in January 2009, ten years ago.
• Only four players from the current squad have previously played an ODI in Pakistan - captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Haris Sohail, and Babar Azam.
• Pakistan has dominated Sri Lanka in the recent past winning nine of the last 11 matches between the two teams including all of the last six.

What they said:

"It is very disappointing to play 'home' matches in other countries. It is always a privilege for us to play cricket in front of our home crowd so we all are ecstatic to have this opportunity." - Fakhar Zaman

"I am eager to perform and lead from the front. This is an opportunity for the youngsters to cement their place in the side." - Lahiru Thirimanne