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Focus on Sangakkara as Lanka face Pakistan

Sri Lanka’s coach Marvan Atapattu said Pakistan will miss spin spearhead Saeed Ajmal.

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Galle — Kumar Sangakkara will get a chance to build on his prolific Test record before retirement when familiar foes Sri Lanka and Pakistan contest their fourth series in two years from Wednesday. The 37-year-old has not responded to media speculation that he will play three more home Tests — two of the three matches against Pakistan and one against India in August — before ending his 15-year-career.

The left-hander is head and shoulders above other current Test batsmen. His 12,203 runs and 38 centuries far exceed second-placed Alastair Cook of England, who has 9,000 runs and 27 hundreds.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have already played six series in as many years, the last of which also took place on the island a year ago. The hosts won both Tests, leaving Pakistan without a win in Sri Lanka since 2006.

Pakistani captain Misbah-ul Haq hopes to rectify that record and build on a commendable 2-0 win over Australia in the UAE last year, followed by a 1-0 triumph in Bangladesh this May. “It is always interesting to play Sri Lanka because both sides know each other’s game well,” said Misbah. “Pakistan has done well in Tests recently and that has given us a lot of confidence,” he said

Sri Lanka’s coach Marvan Atapattu said Pakistan will miss spin spearhead Saeed Ajmal. “Ajmal at his peak gave a lot of batsmen sleepless nights,” Atapattu told Nation.

“Now that he is not there gives us a psychological advantage.” 

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