Sri Lanka and Pakistan under-19 teams have promised to dish out good and competitive cricket during the five one-day series that begins today at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium in Hambantota.
Both teams possess very good players with at least five from each side known to have played in the Premier tournament conducted by their respective countries.
Pakistan have five top players who compete in their major club tournament and are bound to shine with bat and ball. According to their coach Azam Khan they are well balanced with many allrounders. Out of the five top division players, at least three are promising enough to end up in the national side soon.
“They are here to play good cricket and learn from their experiences and foreign conditions,” said Khan.
He also thanked Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for inviting them to play here and wanted to show their solidarity towards Sri Lanka which is recovering from last month’s Easter Sunday bombings. “Pakistan too is faced with a similar situation as did Sri Lanka but this did not discourage us from coming,” noted Khan.
Pakistan team captain Rohail Nazir said that they are confident of performing well on this tour. He said that they had more than two months of training camps to prepare for this tour.
Sri Lanka skipper Nipun Dananjaya expressed similar sentiments. They have had two months of training together and promised to perform at their best.
The Sri Lanka team also consists of almost all those who played in the Asia Cup plus a few additions. Most of them are from the outstations and have attained a high standard of cricket.
Sri Lanka coach Hashan Tillakaratne said that they are looking forward to playing good cricket. They possess good allrounders with about seven bowlers in the side and quality batsmen.
Sri Lanka has selected two sets of players for the series. The first set will feature in the first three games while the second set will play in the remaining two games. This is done to offer everyone a chance to display their talent against a versatile side like Pakistan.
Sri Lanka squad for first three games: Nipun Dananjaya (captain), Kamil Mishara (vice captain), Navod Paranavithana, Mohamed Shamaz, Sonal Dinusha, Avishka Tharindu, Chamidu Wijesinghe, Dilum Tillakaratne, Rohan Sanjaya, Ashen Daniel, Dilshan Madushanka, Pawan Ratnayake, Ravindu Rashantha, Naveen Fernando, Raveen de Silva and Sandun Mendis
Sri Lanka squad fourth and fifth games: Kamil Mishara (captain), Nipun Dananjaya, T. Abhishek Kahaduwaarachchi, Kavindu Wickramasinghe, Avishka Tharindu, Dunith Wellalage, Kavindu Nadeeshan, Chamindu Wijesinghe, Rohan Sanjaya, Pawan Ratnayake, Ravindu Rashantha, Naveen Fernando, Raveen de Silva, Sandun Mendis and Dilshan Madushanka