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"The assignment actuality is to win, but the best ambition is to booty Pakistan aerial up in the rankings in all three formats," Pakistan drillmaster Dav Whatmore said at the alternation barrage in Colombo on Monday night. "It's a simple statement, but it requires a lot of work," he said advanced of the seven-week bout which comprises three Tests, bristles one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games.
The accomplished but generally capricious civic aggregation accept apparent constant acceptable anatomy over the aftermost 12 months admitting actuality clumsy to comedy at home due to aegis concerns. Pakistan accept won seven of their aftermost nine Test matches, including a 3-0 blanch of top-ranked England in the United Arab Emirates beforehand this year.
Their almanac in limited-overs candid has been appropriately impressive, acceptable 16 of their aftermost 22 one-day games, topped by the Asia Cup appellation celebration in Bangladesh in March. The two Twenty20 amateur in southern Hambantota on Friday and Sunday accommodate both teams with a advantageous accession for the World Twenty20 clash to be captivated in Sri Lanka in September-October.
The Sri Lankans accept had an inconsistent year in which they managed aloof two wins in 14 Tests with six defeats, and absent 21 of their aftermost 35 one-day internationals.
Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene accepted Pakistan's contempo almanac and saw a acceptable claiming advanced for his home team. "If you booty their performances in the aftermost six months, they accept performed absolutely able-bodied in all three formats," he said. "To comedy them in our altitude is a acceptable challenge."
Australian Whatmore, a above Sri Lankan drillmaster who guided Arjuna Ranatunga's men to the World Cup appellation in 1996, said Pakistan were accessible for what would be a boxy bout on the field. "Although Pakistan is clumsy to comedy any all-embracing matches at home due to the aegis concerns, they managed to convenance calm afore advancing to Sri Lanka," the drillmaster said.
"We had a appealing appropriate two-week affected afore we came here." Whatmore insisted his insider's ability of Sri Lankan candid would not accord Pakistan any advantage. "It was a continued time ago back I accomplished with Sri Lanka and a lot of baptize has anesthetized beneath the bridge," he said. "I advance some friendships which are consistently acceptable but the assignment actuality is to win."
Pakistan's new Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez said achievement over Sri Lanka in all three formats in the United Arab Emirates aftermost year had additional his team's morale. "We all apperceive Sri Lanka are consistently acceptable on their own clay and we attending advanced to a actual boxy series," said Hafeez, who will be vice-captain to Misbah-ul-Haq in the Tests and the one-dayers.
"But we accept had acquaintance arena them in the contempo accomplished and had acceptable success adjoin them in the UAE."
Tour schedule: June 1 : First Twenty20 international, Hambantota June 3 : Second Twenty20 international, Hambantota June 7 : First one-dayer, Pallekele June 9 : Second one-dayer, Pallekele June 13: Third one-dayer, Colombo June 16: Fourth one-dayer, Colombo June 18: Fifth one-dayer, Colombo June 22-26: First Test, Galle June 30-July 4: Second Test, Colombo July 8-12: Third Test, Pallekele
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