Pakistan v Sri Lanka Live Streaming 5th ODI at Colombo

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
5th One Day International
Venue: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Date: 9 August 2009, Sunday
Time: 9:00 GMT

The spark has rather disappeared from a tour that during the Test portion delivered a few non-fatal surprises for Sri Lanka, such as Fawad Alam's maiden century, Danish Kaneria's five, and Umar Gul's bursts of reverse. Sri Lanka were utterly dominant in the first three ODIs and their series win has been totally justified. There was no resistance from Pakistan until the fourth game, a dead rubber, in which Umar Akmal treated spectators to a most effortless maiden century and Iftikhar Anjum bounced back with five wickets in no time.

The wheels haven't quite come off for Pakistan, but the nuts have certainly been loosened and the main aim is to continue to regain some lost pride. Sunday's match represents another chance for Pakistan to turn around their short-term fortunes, yet the poor form of their senior players - Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq in particular - may prompt the management to revert to youth. Intikhab Alam, Pakistan's coach, said the wonderful partnership between Umar and captain Younis Khan gave a lot of confidence to the team for the final ODI and the Twenty20.

It's a shame Sri Lanka and Pakistan don't go into the final ODI with the series level. A tight run-chase under lights at the Premadasa, with the series at stake, would have been a delightful prospect.

(last five matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka - LWWWW
Pakistan - WLLLW

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Malinga Bandara has never been a big turner of the ball but recalled for the fourth ODI, he again displayed why he can be a handful. He mixed googlies with topspinners regularly and relied on a very good line to keep the batsmen watchful. Importantly he tried to make the batsmen come at him, often tossing the ball up generously. Figures of 2 for 40 were a fine return for a man in his comeback game.

Shahid Afridi was not required to do much with the bat in the last game but did pick up a couple wickets with his fast legspin. With this being the last ODI before he is elevated to the captaincy for the one-off Twenty20, Afridi could just pump himself up for a special evening. It just seems far fetched that one of Pakistan's most inconsistent yet match-turning performers won't make an impact come the end of the series.

Team news

It is perfectly reasonable to expect Pakistan to name an unchanged side from the one which walloped Sri Lanka on Friday, but there may be a recall for Fawad at the expense of one of Yousuf and Misbah. Umar and Anjum took the plaudits for their match-winning hands, while Pakistan will hope Imran Nazir can curb his aggression and find form at the top.

Pakistan: (probable) 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Imran Nazir, 3 Younis Khan (capt), 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq/Fawad Alam, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Naved-ul-Hasan, 9 Saeed Ajmal, 10 Mohammad Aamer, 11 Iftikhar Anjum.

Trevor Bayliss, Sri Lanka's coach, said the team will be looking to make a few changes in the last ODI on Sunday in order to give some of the other players a rest. It is foreseeable that Lasith Malinga, who went for 79 in his ten overs without taking a wicket and came in for some harsh treatment from Umar, will be rested. Nuwan Kulasekara could return in his place after a game's rest. Thilan Thushara could also be given a rest, which puts left-arm medium-pacer Isuru Udana in the mix.

Sri Lanka: (probable) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Chamara Kapugedera, 7 Thilina Kandamby, 8 Thilan Thushara, 9 Malinga Bandara, 10 Isuru Udana/Nuwan Kulasekara, 11 Ajantha Mendis.

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Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Live Streaming 4th ODI Video on PC

Sri lanka vs Pakistan
Date: 7 August 2009, Friday
Time: 14:00 (Local), 9:00 (GMT)

A series of lopsided fortunes is dead in terms of a contest. So what to do the teams play for?

For Pakistan there is only pride to play for, a position which is becoming all-too-familiar for this team in recent times. In their previous ODI series, against Australia in the UAE, Pakistan managed a face-saving win in the dead match. Given their current predicament and lack of one-day direction, they cannot waste any opportunity to find some form.

Just before the start of the ODI series there was talk of 'undesirable elements' lurking in the team hotel along with reports of factionalism and rifts in the team. The seniors players have consistently underperformed, adding to the pressure on captain Younis Khan. Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq were dropped after the first ODI, and Shoaib Malik has been a non-starter with scores of 9, 0 and 12.

Each defeat has been followed by talk of the need to 'execute plans' and Younis rejecting claims of 'groupism'. These have almost become buzzwords for a side struggling to win all tour. Instead of offering excuses and denying rumours, what Pakistan need to do is get back to the basics: bowl straight, field sharply and not throw away wickets. At the Premadasa they have to forget what has gone before and start again.

On the flip side, Sri Lanka can use the two games - and later the one-off Twenty20 - as a celebration of their most successful home series against Pakistan. Kumar Sangakkara's appointment as captain worked instant wonders for the team - they won the Tests and now three ODIs on the trot, their first home series wins over Pakistan. The last two games offer the chance to test their bench strength while aiming to avoid complacency as they chase a clean sweep and keep up the momentum ahead of New Zealand's arrival.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka - WWWWL
Pakistan - LLLWL

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Upul Tharanga: His 96-ball 76 helped Sri Lanka get off to an outstanding start during their chase of what appeared a stiff 289 in the third game. Once dogged by indifferent shot selection and a tendency to throw it away before settling in, Tharanga displayed maturity in the last game and relied purely on timing and placement than power. With Sanath Jayasuriya's impending retirement Sri Lanka need solidity at the top and this series may prove a welcome return for Tharanga.

Kamran Akmal: He's made 78 in three innings in the series so far, and if his performance does not improve you can be assured Kamran's choir of detractors will chirp up. He did splendidly with bat and glove during Pakistan's victorious ICC World Twenty20 campaign and now, with the series lost, Kamran could do with a big innings under his belt.

Team news

Reports from Colombo say that Umar Gul and Abdul Razzaq will take no further part in the series. Gul is suffering from an ankle injury and Razzaq is down with a calf injury. If they are indeed missing then Pakistan have no option but to recall Yousuf and hand Rao Iftikhar Anjum a game. As for the opening conundrum, Imran Nazir should get a run in the XI. After identical dismissals in consecutive games, steering catches to the slip cordon, Nasir Jamshed has to go.

Pakistan: (likely) 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Imran Nazir, 3 Younis Khan (capt), 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Fawad Alam, 9 Naved-ul-Hasan, 10 Mohammad Aamer, 11 Rao Iftikhar Anjum.

With the series won, Sri Lanka have the luxury of resting a few players if they choose to. Muttiah Muralitharan may make way for Ajantha Mendis or Malinga Bandara.

Sri Lanka: (likely) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Mahela Jayawardene, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), 4 Thilan Samaraweera, 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 Thilina Kandamby, 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Thilan Thushara, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan/Ajantha Mendis.

Weather and conditions

The weather in Colombo at the moment is fairly wet and overcast with only periods of sunshine. Scattered thunderstorms are predicted for Friday and Sri Lanka's chances of victory are greater in a low-scoring contest - their batsmen are more adept at nudging difficult runs and the conditions could aid their fast bowlers. Friday's match is the first day-night affair of the series and the side winning the toss should opt to bat and post a competitive total, hoping their bowlers will have use the conditions under floodlights to put the opposition under pressure.

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