Sri Lanka v Pakistan 1st Test at Galle, July 04-08 - Preview

Galle: Pakistan and Sri Lanka make an emotional return to Test cricket on Saturday, almost four months to the day after a militant attack halted their last contest.

The three-Test series is the first between the two nations since armed gunmen fired on the Sri Lankan team bus while the players were on their way to resume a Test match in the Pakistani city of Lahore on March 3.

Seven Sri Lankan cricketers were injured and eight local security men were killed in the attack that forced the cricket world to abandon Pakistan as a venue for international cricket.

The upcoming series opens at the Galle International Stadium just two weeks after Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in the final of the World Twenty20 at Lord's in London.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said he had no fears over security but was more concerned about how quickly his team would switch from the Twenty20 mode to the traditional five-day format.

"The key to winning the series against a strong Sri Lankan team will be our ability to adjust to demanding Test match cricket in hot and humid weather," said Alam.

"We can't afford to look back. Winning the Twenty20 title will mean little when the first ball is bowled in the Test series. It's a different ball game."

Pakistan have never lost a Test series in Sri Lanka, winning three including the past two in 2000 and 2006 and drawing the other two.

Its a creditable achievement considering that Sri Lanka, with the record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in their ranks, have proved almost unbeatable at home in recent times.

Of the 19 home Tests Sri Lanka have played in the past five years, they have won 13, drawn four and lost just two - one of them to Pakistan by eight wickets in Kandy in April 2006.

Younus Khan's Pakistan have not experienced the rigours of a Test match on foreign soil since a two-match series in India in December 2007.

Even at home, Pakistan have played just one series over the past two years due to security concerns in the volatile nation, and that too had to be abandoned after the attack on the Sri Lankan team.

Pakistan will be boosted by the return of veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf, 34, and seasoned all-rounder Abdur Razzaq, 29, to the Test fold after they ended their links with the rebel Indian Cricket League.

But flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who won the player of the match awards in both the semi-final and final of the World Twenty20, has opted to rest from the series.

Kumar Sangakkara, leading Sri Lanka for the first time in a Test series, was confident his team had overcome both the tragedy in Lahore and the loss in the Twenty20 final and were ready to clash with Pakistan again.

"Lahore is not on our minds, the team has done a really great job mentally getting over it," said Sangakkara. "It was heartbreaking to lose the Twenty20 final but we had a great tournament.

"I am proud of the way the team played in England and I am confident we will do as well in the Test matches."

After the Galle Test, the teams move to Colombo where the second Test will be played at the P. Sara stadium from July 12-16 and the third at the Sinhalese sports club from July 20-24.

The rivals are also scheduled to play five One-Day Internationals and a Twenty20 match after the Test series.

Match fact:
Saturday July 4 - Wednesday July 8, 2009
Start time: 10:00 local, 04:30 GMT

Team News
Sri Lanka Hit by injuries, Sri Lanka may hand out a couple of Test caps. The allrounder Angelo Mathews and offspinner Suraj Randiv are likely to make their debuts. Another likely debutant is wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva, who's filling in for the injured Prasanna Jayawardene.

Pakistan More debuts in store from the other camp as well. Mohammad Aamer, the 17-year old left-arm quick, could make his Test debut along with the right-arm seamer Abdur Rauf, since Pakistan have decided not to play Abdul Razzaq and risk him bowling long spells. Pakistan are very likely to play Yousuf. They may also go in with just one specialist spinner and, should they do so, Shoaib Malik can expect to do a lot of bowling. Another possible debutant is Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner, who had a good outing in the World Twenty20.

Pitch and conditions
Preparations were hit by rain over the last few days but on the eve of the Test, the sun was out. The covers came off after a very long time and the outfield looks lush green.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have never won a Test series against Pakistan at home. In five meetings since 1986, Pakistan have claimed three series, including the previous meeting in 2006 which they won 1-0.
• Pakistan trounced Sri Lanka by a massive innings and 163 runs the last time they met in Galle. Pakistan piled on four centuries and Razzaq took a hat-trick.
• Sri Lanka's only victory in a Test at home against Pakistan came in March 1986.
• Pakistan will miss the services of Mohammad Asif. In the previous Test between these two sides, in Kandy, he took 11 wickets and shot out the home side for 73 to set up the win in a low-scorer.

Highlights of the match