COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will face its first real test of the World Cup Saturday when the tournament co-host takes on Pakistan in Group A. The two former World Cup winners have started their campaigns with thumping wins, trouncing Canada and Kenya respectively in their opening matches in the southern town of Hambantota. For Saturday, the statistics will be on Pakistan's side, after winning all six previous World Cup matches against Sri Lanka, although the teams have not met since the 1992 edition when Pakistan went on to defeat England in the final. Pakistan can also take heart from its middle-order batsmen after their solid performance against Kenya, with Akmal brothers Umar and Kamran sharing partnerships with Misbahul Haq and Younis Khan in a total of 317-7. The only worry for Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is that his openers Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad both flopped against Kenya Wednesday. “We shouldn't be 100 percent satisfied, but we are ready for the Sri Lanka match,” Afridi said. “We will play with more energy.” Afridi, who took 5-16 in Kenya's reply of 112, is optimistic of his side having a good game “if we put together this kind of batting and bowl in good areas.” Sri Lanka's top fast bowler Lasith Malinga is expected to bowl with the new ball after being rested for the first game due to a slight back strain. “The team management and selectors will have to take a decision on Malinga whether to play him in the early matches or to keep him for the more important games ahead,” said Tennekoon. “Malinga is coming back from an injury so let's see how strong he is and how much he can adjust to the conditions,” Afridi said. The hot and humid weather in Sri Lankan capital will not only test Malinga, but will also be a test for the match fitness of Afridi's strike bowler, Shoaib Akhtar. Sri Lanka meanwhile has the edge in the spin department with Muttiah Muralitharan, the world record holder in both Test and ODIs, who is playing his last World Cup. “He can probably turn it (ball) on marble,” Afridi said of the veteran off-spinner's skills. “He has so much experience and knows so well how to use them.” Misbah has told his teammates not to fear Muralitharan. “We should keep it simple, play tough cricket and not be overawed by their home advantage or their bowlers. We have played Muralitharan well in the past,” he said Misbah. Sri Lanka's batting might also give Afridi a headache with Mahela Jayawardene scoring his country's fastest World Cup century — 100 off 80 balls — against Canada in its 210-run win. Kumar Sangakkara missed out on a century but made 92 while opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan continued his fine form with a quickfire half-century. “We had a good game (against Canada) and we did what we talked about before the match,” middle-order batsman Chamara Kapugedera told reporters Thursday. Kapugedera said his team was aware of Pakistan's good performances recently, which included victory in a one-day series 3-2 in New Zealand earlier this month. A crowd of 35,000 is expected to get behind Sri Lanka Saturday, a factor Afridi which feared could be a threat to his team.
